Describe yourself in two sentences.
I think I would describe myself as gregarious, hard-working, and passionate. I take pride in my ability to cultivate and nurture my personal and professional relationships, and I always try to put my best efforts toward taking care of the people and things that are important to me.
What brings you the most joy about working with children?
What a difficult question! There are so many beautiful and exciting aspects about working with little ones. I would have to say that the one thing that brings me the greatest pleasure is having the opportunity to witness a child develop any kind of new understanding. This could be anything from grasping a challenging educational concept, acquiring new social/interpersonal skills, or even accomplishing the seemingly simple task of learning how to tie their own shoes. In a child’s eyes, every new accomplishment, big or small, means the world to them. They are in a state of constant learning and development, and it is an absolute joy for me to witness it.
What is the biggest challenge about working with children?
While working with children is (in my opinion) the best opportunity one could receive, it certainly has its challenges. One of the most heartbreaking things to witness is when a child internalizes a mistake or perceived failure as a personal shortcoming. When they begin to believe that because they can’t accomplish something that is seemingly easy for others to accomplish, or if a classmate tells them that they don’t want to be their friend anymore, it can feel like the end of the whole world to them. So, my fellow educators and I always do our best to help them understand that no matter what, they are wonderful, capable human beings that are cherished and loved without a doubt.
