Each of us are very different from one another. The way we talk, act and learn will be different from the person beside you. The world shapes each of us, without us even noticing. Our identities often get molded from past experiences, cultural practices and social norms. As we grow older, we learn to appreciate the importance of each person’s unique self. We each have our own story and reasons behind the things we love.
Ever since I was a young girl, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I have loved the idea of being an educator and helping those around me. This will give me the opportunity to help students gain knowledge, learn respect and responsibility and compassion towards others. It excites me to know that I will one day influence and teach our future generations. Our world is fully reliant on our next generations. They are the ones that will change the world. They will learn and grow from our mistakes, not only as individuals, but as the whole world. Knowing that I will have the pleasure to be part of that change in the world is exciting to me. I will be able to help make a difference. This difference will not only be in the schooling, but in the student’s personal lives as well. These next generations to come deserves the best education available to them.
My family and the way I was raised is a huge reason for the way I am today. Growing up, I was taught by example on how to love and support others. I was taught life lessons that will carry out for the rest of my life. Manners and lending a helping hand wherever it may be needed was always a crucial part of my childhood. Our Ukrainian cultural traditions always taught me the importance of diversity in the world. These traditions always included our whole extended family, which instilled the importance of community. Growing up, I was taught how to deal with adversity and difficult situations from a young age. My dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 10 years old. This changed my family and we had to learn how to do things differently. I was taught that reaching out for help is ok and leaning on others when you are in need is important. This situation has taught me to always be kind and caring. It also taught me to be understanding and versatile to one’s struggles. This picture of my family reminds me to love everyone because you don’t know what personal struggles they might be dealing with.
A significant influence in what helped make my decision in wanting to become an educator is watching my mom in the job that she loves. She is a play therapist in a therapeutic preschool. My mom has been doing this job for the past 30 years. I have watched her demonstrate how to show patience and kindness to some of Regina’s most vulnerable children. This has been able to give me a sense of how difficult life can be for some children. My mom’s job has also shown me how much of an impact a child’s home environment can have on them. Her career has been a huge inspiration and has played a significant role in the decision I have made to teach and support children in need of a strong role model. The role I play as an educator will be the biggest determining factor in the education experience that my students will have. How I show up for my students and influence them every single day will be an experience they will take with them forever.
I have had the opportunity to be a role model in a sport that I love. Softball has become a huge part of my life over the past few years. I have had the opportunity to play it competitively and travel the world for this sport. The factor that has been the most influential, has been my role as a coach. For many years, I have been able to coach and present as a role model for young athletes. I took this role seriously and had the want to help these young athletes get better and grow stronger. I was able to help them learn to love the game, learn determination to pursue what they are passionate about and show them that hard work pays off. These children were also always shown the importance of respect and responsibility. Kindness and compassion are also big factors when it comes to sport. Being a leader for this team helped me to relate to what it will be like to be a leader with a group of students in a classroom.
All these experiences in my life have molded me into who I am today. I am thankful for these experiences and what they have taught me. Just like being an educator, life is a constant learning game. We are always constantly learning and growing to help better our knowledge. My love for helping people will be a great asset to my teaching career. I believe that with hard work and determination, you can reach any goal no matter how big or small. I am excited to continue this journey as I learn more skills to help me in the future. In my opinion, being an educator is one of the most important roles in society. As I reflect on the experiences that will influence the type of teacher that I will become, my goal is to teach with passion, enthusiasm and compassion for all the students that I will encounter. I hope to one day influence the lives of many children.