Introduction for my Specialist in Early Childhood Education

Hi my name is Felecia Towler. I am from Statham, Georgia, a small rural area outside of Athens, Georgia. I am pursing my Specialist Degree in Early Childhood Education at Walden University. I have recently completed my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in administration, management, and leadership. I have found Walden University convenient with my busy schedule which includes me working full time and part time, caring for three children and a husband, house duties, and life itself.

This is my fourth year teaching in a Head Start. I have been the lead teacher all four years. For three and half years I taught Georgia Pre-K ages 4-5. At the Head Start, I work for we are a dual program receiving both federal and state funds for the program. So it is twice the paper work with a dual program. This year 2013-2014 has been an interesting year already. First with a classroom combined with three, four and five year old children, second with children entering and leaving in the last few months (8 new students), and finally work itself.

When I begin my first year of teaching I was fresh out of college. I graduated December 2009 and was hired March 2010. Coming in the middle of the year of 4 and 5 years was the toughest thing I have encountered in my teaching career so far. I cried for two weeks trying to figure out how I was going to get these children getting for kindergarten in the next few weeks. My assistant and I did not see eye to eye, and on top of that I did not have any idea about Head Start beside the few hours that I observed in college and when I attended myself. I felt like my undergraduate degree which was Bachelor in Early Childhood Education did not prepare me for this. My stress level was beyond what I could handle. However, by the end of year I had a little understand of what I was supposed to do as a Head Start teacher.

I enjoy what I do as a teacher, but I feel like I would benefit more if I was able to share it with others. Recently I have applied for a new position within the job of an Education/Disabilities Specialist. My fingers are crossed that I receive the position.

As a child in third grade, I always wanted to be a teacher. From that day, that dream never changed. I had the biggest imagination a child could have. I would play with my stuff animals and even pretend that they were students in my bedroom when I would play school at home. I remember teachers given me worksheets and notebooks to play with over the summer. I used to make my cousins play school with me until I got tired of playing with them.

I had mentioned before that I was a Head Start kid. I feel like I had a great experience when I was in Head Start. Here is a picture of me in Head Start in 1991 and a picture of me in third grade. To me Head Start was the foundation that was needed to be successful as well as the great experiences my teachers gave me throughout my elementary, middle, and high school years. I have to say that all my teachers in some way have impacted my life to push me farther to continue my dream to become a teacher.