I was brought into this world on May 13th, 2003 and I am now eighteen years old. Up to this point, I’ve had so many wonderful life experiences. I am an individual who was fortunate enough to not just have two parents by my side, but instead three. My family consists of my dad Doug, my mom Carla, my stepdad Russ, and my older sister Jocelyn. Growing up was not what I dreamed it would be, when I look back on being little growing up was all I wanted to do. Being older just seemed so much better in my young eyes, as I could wear make-up, drive a car, and stay up late. But here I am now, all grown up and able to do these things. Over the last eighteen years, I have learned a lot from my parents, family, teachers, and friends. One thing I have instilled from my family is that you must work hard to be successful, and it’s something I have held within me growing up. My parents demonstrated this way of life by being both hard workers and amazing parents. My parents ensured I was involved in as many sports as possible. I’ve played everything from hockey, to soccer, to finding my passion for basketball.
Nobody in my family is a teacher, but that is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher, so I could do something different. I started my education off at St. Theresa elementary school staying there until grade five, then moving to WF Ready elementary school to finish my elementary years. It was during my time at WF Ready when I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I loved having little buddies and making connections with the individuals I got paired with. In seventh grade I accepted the challenge to work with the FIAP program and be a big buddy to some of the students in the program. I was not sure what to expect at the beginning, but over time I started to understand each of the students a little more. Each individual differed as they all had different needs, some had anger problems, a couple were slow learners, and one special girl was blind and slightly deaf as a result of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It was the hardest, yet most heart-warming experience.
I particularly made a connection to Hayley; she was only six years old and struggled with her sight and hearing impairment. We formed a connection that even the teachers were surprised by. Hayley started to ask the teachers every day if I was coming to visit. We knew each other so well that she would jump up and say “Kamryn” when she heard my voice or smelt my scent, even if I was just walking by. It then led to me taking her out on the playground for recess or staying in with her during indoor recesses. Eventually, it turned into a priority for me to visit her every day. When I didn’t visit, she would find her way to my classroom either by herself or with a teacher so she could come say hi. When eighth-grade came it was a given that I would be happy to work with Hayley again for my last year at W.F Ready. At the end of that whole experience, it showed me how much of an impact I can have on individuals’ lives.
Denny Park was one of my favorite teachers, he was someone who also inspired me to become a teacher. He was someone that made a strong connection with each student, including myself. He made me feel as if I were at home, safe and protected, while ensuring that I knew I could talk to him if I ever needed. He was a teacher who taught me the reality of things, like if you did something wrong then he would call you out for it, which at first was hard but it was a life lesson that taught me to own up to my wrongdoings.
I think teaching should be filled with life lessons and storytelling from every individual, as learning from one another is very important in my eyes. Learning the necessities in each grade is important, but when we hear stories from individuals of all different lifestyles or cultures it allows us to become educated and understand others experiences. Throughout my schooling, a lot of things have changed, everything from classrooms, to classmates, and to the hallways I have walked in. My classmates in early elementary years were kids that lived in the same area as me or went to the same daycare and many of my same classmates were all in the same class for years after years. It was around grade six when I started to notice a change in the diversity of my classmates. Each classroom was full of people from different cultural backgrounds. This diversity taught me to be respectful and accepting of all individuals, regardless of their background. Growing up, I have continued learning about multiculturalism and the different cultures around me, rather than just learning the history of western people.
As a future teacher, I believe that having a truly diverse classroom is very important, along with educating individuals about the wide variety of countries, cultures, and impacts of colonial history, rather than just focusing on western beliefs, cultures, and history. I want every individual to feel welcomed and safe when entering my classroom, and I want to be able to make unique connections with everyone regardless of their ability, race, needs, or gender.