Gap Year Benefits

As a middle child I learned patience, kindness, independence, teamwork; determination and many more that have molded my personality and influenced the way I want to educate children. As a teaching assistant at a local day camp I united all those traits into my work. During the second week of camp, a new boy had started and was hesitant to get involved so I decided to be his buddy for the day. I showed him the routine, modeled activities, and was patient at times when he became frustrated. The bond that I had formed with the student in such a short time was remarkable. Whenever the student walked into the room he smiled when he found me, confided and needed comfort from me when he was sad, and charmed me when we were outside. At the end of his

I worked easily 12 hours daily (admittedly mostly spinning my wheels), wrangled my mind trying to figure out how to make things work, how to fit all I was supposed to do in a work day. I cried more often than I care to admit.. but I stuck it out. I loved being around young minds, open, receptive, funny and full of surprises. It is wonderful to see a child become excited about learning, to hear "ah! I get it!". The pay is substandard, the hours grueling, the administration oblivious and obstructive, the paperwork daunting... but the kids are truly

The joy that they bring by watching them finally master a skill or get something that they have wanted for a while is amazing. The cheer team had a competition and they did so well that when they came off the mat, some girls were actually crying because of how good they did. That honestly made me feel great because I felt like my time and effort that I volunteered, paid off. That’s is what I love to do; help kids become their best and guide them into the right direction just like teachers do. I feel like one of my main reasons why I love being a good influence on children is because when I was younger I had a lot of older friends that I looked up to and they would look after me and set a good example for

My experiences during this time was very interesting. I got to work with children of all ages and racial backgrounds. I was able to grade papers with other educators and able to work with students when they needed help. The thing I found most

My experiences working with children officially began in 2012 when I started working for One of A Kind Progressive Early Education. I worked with children of all ages, primarily toddlers and preschoolers. While working at One of A Kind, I assisted the lead teachers as much as possible. I helped develop daily routines of activities, lesson plans, nap, and toilet-training times that seemed most effective for the students. I worked with parents during pick up and drop off times to make sure they were happy with the schedule and care their child was receiving. I was in charge of maintaining a safe environment for the students at One of A Kind.

Winter break was around the corner, and I had made each child a small plaque with their name on it. As all of the children gathered around to collect their plaques, one student said “I'm going to keep this forever.” That's when I realized, moments like that is why I do this. When I finished my degree at Cortland, I became a family life specialist at The Children's Home of Wyoming Conference. In this position, I taught, and provided care for underprivileged children, who had nowhere else to go. While there, I started a craft club, took children to the library, taught them life lessons, and took care of their general well- being. There are many stories to tell from the two years I spent there. Although some memories stick out more than others. I will never forget one of the little ones that I had a special bond with. She was having a very tough day at school one day, and would not settle down for any of the teachers or our staff. Other measures were going to be taken, when I asked if

On a day to day basis, I sense pride in my job as I create impacts on the lives of children. For four hours a day, I become their hero. Therefore, from the moment they lay their eyes on me, I can observe their smiles emerge as they are ecstatic to greet “Mr. Bryan.” Welcomed with warm hugs and stories about their days, I assume responsibility to provide constant supervision for 24 kids until parents arrive to pick them up after work. My current position as a Zone Leader at AlphaBEST requires me to lead, inspire and energize children through an extended learning day. I lead my group of children and facilitate their learning through curriculum sessions. In the previous academic school year, I was the administrator of the art department, teaching

behaviors in the classroom. This was so fulfilling because I saw the children become so

When I was in this program, I found that working with these young children was very rewarding. It was rewarding to me because I felt like I had a positive influence on them and their education. It made me happy to know that I was going to leave a mark on them and potentially help them flourish into a wonderful, well-rounded adult. Some of the challenges that I faced when working with these young children was communicating with them and their parents. Sometimes, the parents would get upset and wonder why we are

Working with children is an amazing and fun job to have, however there could be some drawback to it too just like any other job. I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up for this class especially the lab. The only experience I 've had with children before this class was watching my nephew and nieces for a few hours. This class gave me the opportunity to get the experience in a classroom full of children. I got to experience children in their best days and children in their worst days and of course what it was like to work in a classroom full of children. But I also learned a lot about how every child may has had different experiences in life, and the way they behave may be because of those experiences the’ve had and the environment they grew up in.

In the beginning there was quite a bit resistance from the teachers and staff expected our company to take care of everything. It took some persistent discussion with each teacher, learning about their needs and a strictly enforced weekly routine over the course of 2 months. Nevertheless in the end we saw a 96% productivity from our students, delighted parents and a high rating from the staff. To day it was one of the my challenging projects I have ever had the privilege to lead yet one of the best working and learning experiences of my

Working with children has been a motivating force for me to continue on my journey as as a student. While studying at my community college, I obtained a preschool teaching permit so that I could teach preschool and I also have been a behavior interventionist working hands on with Autistic children. I am inspired because, I also have a learning disability and I know the struggles that it takes to be successful. I have dyscalculia, a math disability. Being a student with this is not easy, but never let it stifle me from being the best teacher and student I can be, and without the help of great teachers, I might have never had the chance to achieve my dreams of becoming a Sociology student at UCLA. So I want to give back. This is what inspires

I would like the gift of making a difference in the world by reaching out to children. The only way to achieve success is to work hard, put forth the effort and give your all. Children don 't always have a good support system, I would like the chance to be that support system, to show children that no matter what I will be there to help and guide them to achieve their goals. They are important and they have people that care about them and will do whatever it takes to help them along the way. Each child is unique and needs a safe, caring and stimulating atmosphere to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, and socially. It is my responsibility as their teacher to help them reach their full potential in these areas by setting up an environment that is safe, supports risk taking and invites creative thinking and sharing of ideas. I intend to develop myself into a leader while creating a strong classroom community using myself as a guide and support system to introduce instructional strategies to address all the different needs of the children to help them be successful.

Volunteering in the school valued! You heart leads you to help and give back. Thank you. Plus, it must be wonderful to get glimpse of your daughter growing in the classroom.

Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that in my future I wanted to become a teacher. I always looked up to my teachers, especially the ones I had in elementary school. I even played 'school' with my friends and pretended I had my own classroom. I loved being in charge. During a summer, I was given the opportunity to work as an Energy Express mentor and work with a group of eight children. This was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever been through. I was a mentor to help guide the children, and by the end of the summer I felt as if I had really accomplished something. I am planning to pursue a career in elementary education. I love children, and just knowing that as a