Through volunteer experiences, I have realized that there is need in my community. I learned that in some cases, school, or girl guides, can be an escape from the unstable lives that children may be living. After a few months of volunteering in my local elementary school and Girl Guide group, I formed strong relationships with the children I was working with. They expected my presence once a week. Being a part of this routine was transformational for me and helped me realize that I want to be this person for so many more children. While I do want to inspire children to imagine and create, more importantly I wish to be a friend and role model to my future students.
In my last two years of high school, I volunteered in a kindergarten/grade one classroom. In that class, I shadowed the most inspirational teacher. She made it her priority to create an inclusive classroom. Whenever the children would sing a song, she taught them to sing in Sashishalhem, Croatian, and French. She practiced and taught inclusion in the most effective ways. Watching the face of each child light up when they see the rest of their class sang in their own language was truly incredible. Instances like these have inspired me to make inclusive education a priority in my classroom.
Lifeguarding, girl guide leading, and assistant teaching children in my community has prepared me for a career in education. My career in lifeguarding has taught me how to be confident in uncomfortable situations. I believe this confidence will help me with teacher efficacy in the future, allowing me to be sure about what and how I am educating children. My experience with leading girl guides provided me with knowledge on how to mentor. One of the most important things that I taught my group of girl guides was about taking risks, and that through these challenges, you will always have people behind you to support and cheer you on. Experiences like these will be beneficial for creating a positive and family-like classroom environment for my future students to flourish in.