My first inspiration to become a teacher was my son, who has a learning disability.

I first

noticed his struggle with learning when he was in preschool, which provoked some behavioral

issues. Such as anger, frustration, and withdrawal from social interaction. His preschool teachers

helped him as much as they knew how, but it wasn’t till he entered kindergarten that he had the

most incredible teacher who impacted his life. She did all the possible to help him and find the

best resources for him. It was than when I experienced a deeper inspiration to become a teacher.

I realized that everyone at an early age have the ability to learn, but the process may look

different. It fills my heart with the thought that I can make a positive difference in the lives of

children and not only the children but to their families. It is exhilarating that I can utilize all my

passion in the classroom on a daily basis (music, creative art, free exploration, and fun learning

activities). Embracing the challenges that comes with identifying the “push” that will jump-start

a student’s learning is exciting to me!

I believe that a teacher is someone who loves children and demonstrates a passion for their

education and development. A teacher whose kind and personable nature makes children feel

comfortable and happy. Teachers should develop empathetic and trusting relationships with the

children as they immensely influence their lives. Further, they should have the ability to create a

developmentally appropriate curriculum that fosters all domains of learning. At the same time,

children have fun while also learning.

I believe that play is one of the most important means by which children learn. Therefore, I

have adopted the pedagogy of play. Jean Piaget quoted it, "Play is the work of childhood" (35

Jean Piaget Quotes on Education, Thinking and Psychology - Quotes.Pub, n.d.). And I feel

strongly that play is foundational in a child's development. Children learn and practice key
social, cognitive, organizational, physical, and social-emotional skills during play, including

creativity, curiosity, imagination, and problem-solving. 

I further believe there is a misconception about play, as parents might suppose that children

play all day and not focus on learning academically, which has been a challenging obstacle for

early childhood educators to convince with words but instead are being successful with results.

However, integrating academics into play makes it play-based learning to deepen children's

understanding and engage them. Through a well-developed curriculum, it is essential to offer

hands-on activities that children get to explore using their five senses, to use their environment as

a foundation for investigation. It is also essential to be intentional by using guided teaching as a

strategy tool to enhance children learning, such as asking open-ended questions in a conversation

or group discussion, which helps develop language and literacy skills—setting up an

environment with purposefully constructed learning opportunities—and creating learning centers

to encourage creative play. For example, a kitchen/cooking center could contain a water table as

well as measuring cups, dishes and 'pretend' food. Paper and pencils/crayons/markers, etc., can

be used to write recipes, make lists, and create advertisements for a new restaurant. Children get

to explore academics within their play, making it a more meaningful experience.

I believe that every child is unique in their own way. Each child grows at their own

developmental level, and each child comes from a family with their own beliefs and values. I

believe it is our responsibility to understand the child and the child's needs. As educators, we

should set up a high-quality classroom environment where the child can grow, learn, and explore

at their own developmental level. To conclude, I want to be the teacher who is encouraging,

supportive, and pushes children to be their best. The teacher that goes above and beyond their

needs. I hope that the kids will learn from me that learning can be fun and not a task.
 References

35 Jean Piaget Quotes on Education, Thinking and Psychology - Quotes.pub. (n.d.). Quotes.Pub.

https://quotes.pub/jean-piaget-quotes