What Are You Passionate About?

Amanda Linn
PSY 107
JOURNAL LETTER #3
5/8/12

What are you passionate about?

Many of my earliest memories as a young child were of playing with my dolls and taking care of them in one way or another. I could often be found playing with my friends and starring in the lead role of either doctor, school teacher, or mommy. Through the years, I have been in the role of a babysitter, a camp counselor, a leader and mentor of youth organizations, a daycare provider, a tutor, and a teacher.
These experiences have allowed me to stay involved with what I'm most passionate about, children.
When I was eight years old, I got my first job as a babysitter of my
Neighbors two granddaughters. Word quickly spread through the neighborhood about how responsible I was and found myself babysitting almost every night. Since I was caring for so many different families,
I wanted to ensure their childrens safety, provide them with stimulating activities and prepare healthy, tasty snacks. A babysitting course was offered locally and I signed up immediately.
Several years later, I volunteered to help teach other young babysitters the same skills I learned.
During the summers, I attended summer day camp, which was provided by an organization I was in called Camp Fire Boys and Girls. as soon is I became of age, I stopped being a camper and became a Junior, then a
Senior camp counselor. I enjoyed helping work with our campers in a variety of activities. Later on when I became older, I continued working with this camp as the the lead director.
Camp Fire Boys and Girls also had a program called Vacation Ventures, which allowed elementary age children to attend their school on a scheduled no school day, to provide care while their parents were at work. As a group leader, I was responsible for a group of six children. I would help them with their homework, teach fun songs, play physical games snd activities, create arts and crafts, instruct a lesson, and maintain order within our group. The organization Camp
Fire Boys and Girls, allowed a multitude of opportunities to work with children and have them look up to me when I was growing up.
The summer after my first year of college, I was given the opportunity to help provide care at an in-home daycare started by the mother of two girls I used to babysit/nanny for. This experience made me stop and reconsider what my major in school was. I wanted to do something I truly enjoyed instead of what fit my academic areas I was most skilled in. I ended up switching from pharmacy to education the following fall semester. I graduated with a bachelors in elementary education and a bachelors in special education, which helped me in obtaining my teaching job in Nebraska. When I wasnt at work in my classroom, I was privately tutoring and helping students with their schoolwork.
From a toddler to an adult, I've always been passionate about interacting with children. Whether I was doing a job or just walking down the street, if there was a child around I was actively engaged with them in some manner. These positive encounters between a child and another individual are important to help with self esteem and crucial for the development of relationships with others .