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.
