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2003 |
Sommer Brown | |
| Home Resume Education Professional Goals Honors and Awards Interests Reflections Integrative Creative Arts My philosophy Work
experience |
 Future school where Sommer will work I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a variety of children in many different settings. I have worked with children from the ages of 3 months to 18 years of age in many different environments and circumstances. It began at the young age of 12 when I started baby-sitting, and has continued since then. In
high school, I assisted with the planning and organizing of a youth
Halloween party for three seasons. In my senior year of high school, I
assisted a 3rd grade teacher with her special education students for one
hour each day. In conjunction with this, I spent an additional hour each
day assisting the physical education teacher. Also in my senior year, my
debate coach and teacher became ill. As a result, I took on the
responsibility of teaching a novice class of 15 of my peers as well as
coaching a 7th and 8th grade debate team. The summer before I graduated
from high school, I worked as an assistant summer camp counselor full
time. These experiences resulted in my decision to commit to working
with children for the rest of my life. Consequently, I decided to go to Western Michigan University and pursue my dream of helping children foster their educational needs. For many of my University courses, I have had to either tutor a child in a subject or participate in a classroom setting. I have had the opportunity to tutor three wonderful elementary-age children in reading and mathematics. In addition, I have had the chance to integrate the creative arts through drama into a third grade and first grade classroom. For my pre-internship I taught math and science lessons to a second grade classroom. This experience allowed me to confidently develop my classroom management skills. I
have not been satisfied with just working with children during the
school year. I have taken my experiences to a new level by working for
two summers with Hickory Tree Children's Center in Ann Arbor. This has
enhanced my experiences and broadened my horizons. When I first started
at Hickory Tree, I began working with the infants and toddlers. I then
moved to the preschool summer camp, and after a short while, I began
working as an assistant summer camp counselor for the 6-13 year olds.
During my second summer at Hickory Tree, I was promoted to one of the
lead summer camp counselors. It was the best summer of my life with
children I will never forget! I am planning on returning to Hickory Tree
this coming summer, assuming my same position. I
have also cultivated my professional development outside of the
educational field. During the 1997-1998 school year I worked as a
resident advisor for Western Michigan University Residence Hall Life. I
also worked as an Assistant Director for Western Michigan University
Residence Hall Life during the1998 and 1999 school years. Both of these
experiences have helped refine the communication skills needed to work
in the educational field. I have
worked with adults from all different backgrounds, and helped to build a
community that would be safe and supportive of an outstanding
educational experience. These positions have challenged me on a personal
and professional level. I
have always strived to do my personal best at all levels so I can be
proud of who I am, and what I have accomplished. To do this, I have
tried my very best to be a part of the community that I live in, and
volunteer as much of my time as possible. In 1997, I helped
raise $400 for United Way through a pop can drive for student government
at Western Michigan University. In 1998, I helped to raise
$500.00 for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kalamazoo through a Haunted
Forest on campus. In addition to this, I held an Easter egg hunt for
Interfaith Homes Inc. Again in 1999, I helped to raise another
$800.00 for Big Brother and Big Sisters of Kalamazoo. For two years, I
helped raise money for Reading is Fundamental through a WMU Spelling
Bee. All of these community service activities have helped me to better
myself as person and truly do my personal best. I believe, and will
always believe, that everyone should strive to do his or her own person
best at all times. There
are many reasons why I want to be a teacher, almost too many to list. I
know that there is nothing else in the world I would rather do with my
life, and if I thought differently I would not have made certain choices
in the past. Teaching children is something that I know from the bottom
of my heart that I am meant to do. Without the opportunity to do so, I
would not develop into the person that I know is in me. |
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| Sommer Brown, Inc. |
