When I grow up...
Have you ever asked young children what they want to be when they grow up? Some of their answers can be quite interesting and even hilarious. I make a point to do this at least once a year to see what children are thinking about the type of job they may want to have, provide parents with a memory for when their child grows older and honestly because it is fun! The answers change as the years go by. When I first began in this field, I received a lot of "teacher", "doctor", "vet" and "fire fighter" along with the occasional, "princess" and "fairy". This year when I asked the children in my classroom what they wanted to do when they grew up, I heard, "football player", "teacher", "bug guy" and "YouTube sensation". It's interesting to think that these children who have dreams of being a "bug guy" or "YouTube sensation" will change their minds a thousand times before they get through high school much less getting through college! This fact got me thinking..... Am I who I want to be when I grow up?
I have always wanted to be a teacher from as far back as I can remember, except for that short period of time when I wanted to work on Broadway and live in a studio apartment in New York....just me and my cats..... Anyway shattered dreams of Broadway and a few years later, I am a teacher. I love teaching. I love working with children and families and watching the growth that happens as a child develops. As cliché as it may sound, I love seeing the lightbulb go off, the "aha" moments for children and parents and I genuinely enjoy laughing and working with children.
Yet... last night I tried something new. It was exciting, challenged me and made me think "what do I want to be when I grow up?" Last night I climbed out of my comfort zone and followed a dream. Last night I got up in front of 30 or so early childhood educators and shared my heart, my ideas and my knowledge of loose parts play. I was scared out of my mind to do this! I felt unqualified, intimidated and down right unworthy to do it. My husband told me that I was knowledgeable and a good teacher and that the presentation was well put together. One of my mentor/friends told me that I could do this. She told me that it was going to be fine and to keep breathing.... and you know what? They were right!
I am telling you the truth, I had the BEST time last night! We shared our thoughts, played with loose parts and engaged with each other in a way that I cannot describe with words. As I was driving home late last night on a dark country road, I thanked the Lord for giving me the strength and the confidence that I know only comes from Him, to push forward with the dream to educate educators. I told my husband when I got home, "I finally know what I want to be when I grow up". So that's the plan... to keep pursuing opportunities to present, to learn even more about myself and to keep on learning new things in and about this amazing field called early childhood education.
I wonder what you want to be when you grow up...... brave? kind? accomplished? all of these things and more? Well... me too! I think that is the wonderful thing about hopes and dreams... they get to change and grow as we change and grow. Don't stop changing! Don't stop growing! And by all means, DON'T STOP DREAMING... (bet you thought I was gonna say believin' didn't you!)
I am adding a few pictures from last night, just because they are pretty fun!
I have always wanted to be a teacher from as far back as I can remember, except for that short period of time when I wanted to work on Broadway and live in a studio apartment in New York....just me and my cats..... Anyway shattered dreams of Broadway and a few years later, I am a teacher. I love teaching. I love working with children and families and watching the growth that happens as a child develops. As cliché as it may sound, I love seeing the lightbulb go off, the "aha" moments for children and parents and I genuinely enjoy laughing and working with children.
Yet... last night I tried something new. It was exciting, challenged me and made me think "what do I want to be when I grow up?" Last night I climbed out of my comfort zone and followed a dream. Last night I got up in front of 30 or so early childhood educators and shared my heart, my ideas and my knowledge of loose parts play. I was scared out of my mind to do this! I felt unqualified, intimidated and down right unworthy to do it. My husband told me that I was knowledgeable and a good teacher and that the presentation was well put together. One of my mentor/friends told me that I could do this. She told me that it was going to be fine and to keep breathing.... and you know what? They were right!
I am telling you the truth, I had the BEST time last night! We shared our thoughts, played with loose parts and engaged with each other in a way that I cannot describe with words. As I was driving home late last night on a dark country road, I thanked the Lord for giving me the strength and the confidence that I know only comes from Him, to push forward with the dream to educate educators. I told my husband when I got home, "I finally know what I want to be when I grow up". So that's the plan... to keep pursuing opportunities to present, to learn even more about myself and to keep on learning new things in and about this amazing field called early childhood education.
I wonder what you want to be when you grow up...... brave? kind? accomplished? all of these things and more? Well... me too! I think that is the wonderful thing about hopes and dreams... they get to change and grow as we change and grow. Don't stop changing! Don't stop growing! And by all means, DON'T STOP DREAMING... (bet you thought I was gonna say believin' didn't you!)
I am adding a few pictures from last night, just because they are pretty fun!
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