Practice Blog Post

I. Who I am
  A. Where I have lived
  B. Major interests
  C. Attending USA
  D. Personal/family information
II. Why I want to be an educator
III. What an educator does in his/her profession in the 21st century
IV. My passions

     My name is Dawn Oliver. My early childhood years were spent in Gautier, MS. When I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to Hurley, MS. I moved to Grand Bay, AL, where I currently live, when my husband and I got married. Due to transfers with my husbands jobs, I have also lived in Birmingham, AL and Jackson, MS for two years and one year, respectivley. One of my favorite things to do is spending time with my family, including my church family. We are very involved as a family in the activities of our church. I also love spending time at the beach. It is one of my favorite places to be. I am majoring in Elementary Education at the University of South Alabama. I chose this college because it is an easy commute from home, and it has a great Education Program.
     My parents have been married for over 35 years. I have a brother and an identical twin sister. My husband and I have been married for 15 years, and we have two children together. Our daughter, Shelby, is 13 years old, and our son, Andrew, is 10 years old. They participate in many activities in their schools. My husband is currently in classes to be ordained as a minister in the Assemblies of God. He is also the Youth Pastor at our church.
     Deciding to be an educator has been a journey for me. I have worked with young children at church, in daycare centers, and at Christian schools. I knew I wanted to be a parent first. But as my children have grown, I have had more time to spend outside the home working with other children. I get great joy out knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of the children that I teach.
     I believe that an educator's work in the 21st century is ever changing. A teacher must keep up with the latest standards and technologies. One of the most important aspects to me as a teacher is to make learning fun and understandable for all students. Teachers play many roles in the lives of their students, including but not limited to, being a nurse, a caregiver, an encourager, someone they can talk to, and a source of acceptance and love.
      My passion is children. I want to teach them how to learn and to love to learn! I love to see a child's sense of accomplishment and pride when they learn something new. I want children to understand that learning can happen anywhere and anytime, not just in the classroom at school.