My First Years In School

My career in education has spanned more than 20 years. This is not the direction I thought my life would take, but somehow my mother always saw this in my future. My educational journey got off to a rocky start at six years old when my appendix ruptured. I was rushed to the hospital and stayed in intensive care for months. By the time I went home, I had missed my entire first-grade year. I returned to school at seven years old ready for a new start, but I’d missed a big part of the foundation I needed for success. The Catholic school I attended didn’t want to hold me back due to my illness, so instead of having me repeat the first grade, they put me on a half-first, half-second grade track. That decision would have life-altering effects. Their intentions were good, however, I never really found my footing. I struggled through the years, but I was determined to finish. I’d promised my mother, who had to quit school at 14, that I would graduate.

In 1993, my mom fell ill. While in the hospital, she encouraged me to become a teacher because I loved children so much. I laughed and said, “Mom I hated school, why would I ever do it again?” I associated school with failure at the time, and I lacked confidence in my ability to thrive there. Six months later, she would be gone and the words she spoke about me being a teacher continued to play in my ear.

she didn’t write her own notes, and she said, “The teacher told me I couldn’t do it.” She said she would rather fail on her own than be in special education. She felt like she couldn’t do anything right, and I understood because I also sat in that seat as a child. I remember feeling hopeless, and I didn’t want her to go through that. I withdrew her immediately and found a better learning environment for her. Throughout this process, my mother’s words kept coming back to me like whispers in the wind. 

Going Back To School

So, I enrolled in school to support my daughter the best way I could. To my surprise, I did exceptionally well—making the Dean’s List every semester, being accepted into the honor society, and finally graduating Magna Cum Laude. My family was in awe! The most rewarding moment was when I went to the cemetery and presented my diploma to my mom.  

My intention wasn’t to teach, but I found myself in the classroom. I became a middle school special education teacher. Watching the children struggle reminded me of what I went through and what my daughter experienced. They were expected to read on grade level and pass the state standardized assessment, despite being on a second-grade level. Their failure was laid at my feet. I gave my all to help them, and the principal still blamed me for their performance. One day I stood in my class and looked into their innocent faces and wondered about the life they would have. That night I went home and cried to my husband because I knew that I would not be able to help them. Those tears were my breaking point.

Taking The Leap

But they were also a turning point. Wanting to make a difference earlier in the children’s lives, I opened a child care center in 2015. ABK Learning & Development Center is named after my mother, who was my world and whose words spoke life into this vision. I didn’t know I could feel this happy. I researched the curriculum and tried several until I found the one that best suited us. In 2017, I opened a second location so I could provide high-quality care to more children, especially those Black and Brown babies who looked like me and my daughter.

Finding my place in early learning and development made me realize I wasn’t a failure. The trauma from my illness and early education held me captive for a while. Then I was set free, and it became the foundation for my success. My experiences led me to become a trauma-informed trainer, so I can support children through the various situations that keep them bound. Being trauma-informed with a special education background helps me make decisions I would otherwise not be equipped for.

As an educator and advocate, I understand the complexities of this work, and I seek out opportunities to elevate the unmet needs in our field. I am a member of a collective force working to bring positive change to the profession. The hard work that we do is touching the lives of the children and families we serve.

The Joy In Early Childhood Education

Being an early childhood educator brings me great joy. Throughout the day, children run up to me and hug me, almost knocking me to the ground. That fills my heart! When I sing to them, even though I’m not a great singer, they always enjoy the performance. But I think my most positive experience is seeing the excitement on my kiddos’ faces when they accomplish something new,  like writing the letters in their name. I get to experience the uniqueness of the students that I teach and watch them further develop their abilities.  That’s what I tell others who are thinking about entering this field. They have an opportunity to impact the future. They can enhance and elevate their current skills while working in an environment filled with energy and fun. This may be cliche, but there is never a dull moment in early child care. My mission is to help our children overcome the barriers that could stifle their future success and to empower parents to advocate for their children. This work has given me the strength to overcome my own barriers and take a stand. You can stand with me as we seek to change the course of our children’s lives. There are a variety of ways to get involved. You can donate your time and resources to community child care centers, consider early childhood education as a career path, or become an advocate supporting the cause. We need all the support we can get.