1. INTRODUCING ME Tashara English 4/15/14

2. PRE-K 3 & 4 TEACHER

3. My name is Tashara English I am from Ocala Fl, the horse capital of the world. I have been in the childcare field for about 16 years and I love working with kids but have the desire to do so in a different setting. I am looking forward to a career in social work, still utilizing my love for working with children in a different way. With a Bachelors in Social Science w/ a minor in Child Development under my belt, my decision to go for my Master's was fueled by my desire to help children. With social work being such a broad field, an elevated education could only help further my steps into the desired career path. I am currently considering a position as a family care specialist, I will get the chance to work within diverse communities and design programs for families and children that will be beneficial for their needs.

5. The truth is, after kindergarten everything about school went downhill for me. I was diagnosed with a learning disability in speech and math early on in my academic development. Because of this I struggled with confidence and educational self-worth. I often felt like a failure and that I couldn’t measure up to my peers. Which left me with major dislike of school. Despite my dislike of school in general I was always a fast learner when it came to subjects that I was comfortable with. I surpassed expectations in all subjects except math. The one person who holds a lasting influence in my life is, my 7 th grade English substitute. I was placed in developmentally appropriate math and language arts classes because of my disability and speech. However my language arts skills were not lacking, I only had a “stutter”. On the contrary of literacy development, I excelled at English. It took this substitute to see the potential that I had to be a greater student and learner than I was allowed to be. Upon her recommendation I was placed in general English classes and later English honors. Even though I knew that I could do more academically than I was currently doing, I was terrified to try. That teacher encouraged me and help me transition. If it were not for this person my life would I have been totally different, I am sure of it. I would not have been given the opportunity to prove and show my self-worth and for that I will be forever thankful and will never forget what that teacher did for me.

6. “ ” EDUCATION’S PURPOSE IS TO REPLACE AN EMPTY MIND WITH AN OPEN ONE. MALCOM FORBES IN FORBES MAGAZINE