Our nation is at the crossroads of pandemonium, and our children are standing in the midst of this juncture. The decisions of every individual are crucial in creating global awareness, so that we can provide children with the proper tools to function and thrive in this internationally interconnected world. With my existing aspirations, I move forward to achieve them; and studying at Teacher’s College gave me an opportunity to learn more about early childhood curriculum that includes cutting edge methodologies, policies and politics on local, as well as national and international level. These knowledge and learning experiences provide me a foundation of childhood education that I can use as a benchmark of my goals and aspirations.
I am an experienced woman and entrepreneur who grew up in India. At the age of eighteen I moved to the USA to further my studies. I received my Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Computer Science from Albright College in Reading, PA. After graduation, I had a successful, fulfilling career in IT for several years. Unfortunately, in 2001, my husband and I witnessed and suffered through the colossal and dreadful experience of 9/11. In those moments of chaos, I encountered a personal epiphany: war cannot be fought with tangible, violent weapons; it must be dealt civilly through the human mind. Being a descendant of a Gandhian philosophy, I recalled a saying by Mahatma Gandhi: “If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.” Through this saying, I realized that the fate of the world’s future depends on our children because the mind of a child is a clean, unblemished slate.
In 2002, I became a mother. As a mother, I realized that I needed to spend more time with my child if I wanted to teach her the values that I think important to help her become a better individual. From this desire, I studied and obtained certification in “Childcare Management” at New York University and started my own childcare center. The foundation of my goal is advocate children’s rights from the grassroots level and promote early childhood literacy in the community. To aid this process, I became a member and later President of the Central Affiliate of New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children (NJAEYC). I also serve as Chair of Public Policy committee for NJAEYC. Also, to facilitate and support quality education, I have collaborated with the Princeton University to offer childcare to their, staff, faculty and students at a discounted rate. Currently, I own and operate a successful preschool in Lawrenceville, NJ, run my central affiliate, and have a young, growing family. However, my voracious thirst to make a difference in the society by positively influencing the minds of young children is not being quenched. I started taking classes at Teacher’s College, as a non-degree student, to fulfill the dream I have for young children.
As an adult living in the USA, I have acquired a broad range of worldly experiences. I have survived being a foreign student, achieved financial success in my IT career, learned hypnosis and improvisations (Second City) for fun, became a successful entrepreneur, and now have a rich and rewarding family life. Having succeeded in these general aspects of my life and by utilizing my knowledge from diverse fields, I believe I am glowingly prepared for the challenging studies and research involved in the field of Early Childhood Curriculum & Teaching and look forward to studying new subjects as well as further investigating topics with which I am already familiar. I perceive life experiences as part of the process in obtaining knowledge, but I also recognize the value of global connectedness and the importance of the collections of episodes of life from others to advance our understanding on how individual and societal actions effect children. I am convinced that my participation in your MA program will give me a thorough education, excellent research experience and amazing exposure to the world of early childhood education to advance my dream of advocating for children’s rights.
Teachers College does not only provide exceptional educational setting and learning guides, it also encourages future educators to build stable and comfortable relationship between young children and teachers. The research department of Teachers College design advanced mathematics education for very young children that educators can use in their field; provide diabetes education for health care professionals to help their patients having the disease; provide education on national debt, federal budget deficit, and other fiscal responsibilities; educating elementary and middle school students to change their behaviors in terms of nutrition and fitness; and many other research models that encourage students and future educators to become the best in their fields. As I continue to learn new thoughts, models of teaching, and scholastic concepts, I can say that Teachers College helps me to build greater and better foundations for my long-term goals. It strengthens my ideals and removes my fears of being a passionate educator even if it is far from my previous career. With the courses I take, I believe that I am more prepared and equipped to face the challenges of teaching and achieve my long-term plans and goals. I will soon accomplish my goals of being TC Graduate.