When I was in elementary school I thought I wanted to be a teacher, but as I got older I was not sure what I wanted to do...
My parents told me I should be a doctor or a lawyer. Are those really the only two options I had??? In high school my home life started to become unstable. My parents divorced, my family moved several times, my grandfather on my dad's side passed away, my grandmother on my mom's side who helped raise me moved to the bay area ... Everything that I thought that made me feel safe and comfortable in my life was gone.
I thought escaping to Portland, Oregon for college would bring me better luck... a fresh start. I decided to major in Business to "be safe." One summer I thought I would try out being a teacher, and signed up to teach English in Hong Kong, S.A.R. for a summer in 2007. I was terrified, and it turned out to be a challenging experience for me. I thought that since I had a difficult time that I should not be a teacher.
In my fourth year in college I started tutoring at various sites with various age groups around North Portland. After I graduated in May 2009, the job search was daunting!!! One day the coordinator of the tutoring program sent me a job description. It was an AmeriCorps position for the summer focusing on 9th Grade Counts. Soon enough I was sitting in trainings and working for the non-profit Open Meadow Alternative Schools.
When the summer was coming to an end I was hired by Open Meadow to be a School Success Advocate working with "at-risk" youth and their families/ guardians and teachers in SE Portland. I was an Advocate for two years until making the choice to attain my Masters degree in Teaching. I learned a lot, and I wanted to learn more. Being an Advocate was the most challenging work I have done, and I am grateful for all the experiences...
I want to become a teacher because I am passionate about youth and supporting them in this stage of their life in education, growth, challenges, and learning. I in turn will learn and grow from interacting and building relationships with them. I'm ready to continue this journey...
Peace and Love.
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