I would like to begin by saying that I am very enthusiastic about entering into the field of education. Being a teacher has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. As a young child I enjoyed school and admired my teachers. I can remember sitting my younger brother and sister down in front of a make believe chalkboard and "teaching" them.

     My desire to teach and love for children carried through to my teenage years where I became the best babysitter around town. My Friday and Saturday nights were booked well in advance. I also took Nanny Jobs during the summer. As a young adult fresh out of high school I entered Junior College. It was there at the college daycare that I had my first preschool teaching assistant position. I loved it so much that I went on to take classes in Early Childhood Development. I worked in several different preschool settings over the next several years, as well as taking on a job as a children’s story teller for a bookstore.

      I took a break from preschool teaching to become a full time mommy, the greatest job and honor in the world. While my two children were very young I went back to work at a preschool/daycare where I became a lead teacher in several different classrooms. After several requests from friends of mine I decided to run a daycare/preschool out of my home. I loved every minute of working with young children, however longed for the day I could go back to college and further my education.

     After relocating to Washington I decided that I wanted a job with meaning where I could really make an impact on someone’s life. So I took a job working with youth with developmental disabilities as well as behavioral problems. During this time I gained a wealth of knowledge and some unforgettable memories. Working with the older kids was a valuable learning experience; however I missed the little ones. I made a career change and went to work for a residential treatment center. It was there that I had my first glimpse into the field of social work. I worked with children ages 1month to 6years, all of whom were drug affected. I provided therapeutic care as well as a loving environment where these children could feel safe and thrive. Part of my job was also to work with the mothers on parenting skills and bonding with their children. Again I learned so much in this job, however still wished to be able to go back to school.

     So when the opportunity arose I immediately took it. I am now on the way to fulfilling my life long dream of teaching. While attending school fulltime I also work part time for the Center for Battered women. I assist in running support groups for children who are victims of domestic violence. I am drawn to the field of social work and find that my compassion for others makes me an asset in this field. However I fill that as a teacher my experience in these areas will be able to be utilized as I will surely be working with children from various backgrounds and situations.