Introduction – EDU 695 Emily Hambright

All About Me I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science in May of 2013 Hired in as a little toddler lead teacher (14 months to 2 years) at a YMCA in Lansing, MI Promoted to infant-toddler coordinator in March of this year I bleed green (Go State!) and am obsessed with books

Career Goals Soon I hope to become a preschool teacher for Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program One day I want to be a director of an early childhood program Eventually I hope to be an early childhood specialist that helps others make their teaching and programs better

How has MAED helped me? The MAED program has given me new tools and teaching strategies to take back to my current classroom and my future as an educator It has also given me the education to support my plans to become a director, therefore allowing me better teaching and career opportunities

Biggest Challenge My biggest struggle during the MAED program was developing a plan to implement in an early childhood center that would show positive changes It was difficult to get every lead teacher at the YMCA on board, along with specific parents. Keeping up on retaining data and information as it progressed was also difficult

Overcoming the Challenge Forming better relationships with my co-leads and the parents whose children were participating in the project helped them remember to keep me updated on results I put reminders in my calendar twice a week in order to hold myself accountable Tracking results once a week so as not to fall behind in the information was also helpful

Improvements in Teaching By struggling with implementing my change in my center and keeping up on collecting the data, it improved my ability to take anecdotal notes and build strong relationships Being better at anecdotal notes helps me track every child’s progress in my room Building relationships with coworkers allows me to get new ideas and improve who I am as a person by being able to work with everyone

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” -Margaret Mead (Good Reads, 2015) “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” -Oscar Wilde (Good Reads, 2015) Inspirational Quotes

Why the Quotes Inspire Me Oscar Wilde’s quote reminds me that while formal education is extremely important, many life lessons are taught outside of the classroom. I need to allow my students to explore and have hands-on experiences so that they are daring enough to learn those lessons on their own. Margaret Mead helps me remember that my job as a teacher is to inspire my students and give them the tools they need to solve problems and expand their knowledge. I am not there to instill my beliefs and information, but rather help them discover their own.

References Good Reads, Inc. (2015). Margaret Mead Quotes. Retrieved from or/quotes/61107.Margaret_Mead Good Reads, Inc. (2015). Oscar Wilde Quotes. Retrieved fromhttp:// quotes/7722-education-is-an- admirable-thing-but-it-is-well-to