Blog Post 1

My name is Ariel and I live in Mentor, Ohio. I want to major in Early Childhood Education, but I am also interested in teaching fourth and fifth grade. I want to teach all four subjects, but if I had to choose only two they would be English and Social Studies. I have always loved working with kids, and have been involved with a few tutoring programs at rebuilding schools in Cleveland. I used to play basketball until I tore my ACL last year, but am on the last month of my recovering and just started running again. This semester I plan on focusing on school, while working at Chagrin Valley Wellness Center, along with running everyday. I believe that early childhood education is so crucial to kid's futures because the earlier they can learn and excel, the better of a future they can have. This is especially important when children are in struggling families. If kids do not have people at home pushing them to succeed, teachers are crucial for helping these kids get on the right path. The article The Importance of Early Childhood Education and School Starting Age in the Reading-Writing Learning Process states that, "Because the first years of life are the years when investments are made for the future of societies, the losses that occur in this period are either hard or impossible to compensate. Early childhood education plays a vital role especially in eliminating or minimizing the deficiencies resulting from socioeconomic structure of the family" (Introduction). I strongly believe that teachers have a huge role in helping a student's future, especially ones with a struggling home life.

For learning, I need to feel comfortable with the people around me, so getting to know people is very crucial to my learning. When I feel comfortable I will share my ideas and not be scared to ask questions or participate in class. As a student, I always gravitated toward my English teachers because I love to read for fun. My sophomore English teacher was one of my favorite teachers because she would always give me books to read. When I told her about possibly transferring from Mentor High to Gilmour, she urged me to transfer, knowing it would be in my best interest. Her constant support helped me make the big decision to transfer from Mentor to Gilmour. Gilmour is where I got involved with working with schools in the Cleveland area. I worked with many kids who came from rough home lives' which is when I realized how important it is for teachers to not only help their students excel in the classroom, but also influence the students to excel outside the classroom. I believe we need teachers in early education who are willing to connect and help struggling children in and outside of the classroom.

A question I have about this class: Will we be working with any rebuilding schools in Cleveland?