October 2021 Student Spotlight – Juanita Tovar

I began my career in early childhood education as a floater working for my mentor. Watching her teach her two-year-old class was such an exciting experience. I could see her love and passion for the job and quickly gained a love for the children.  Teaching children became my passion. From then on, I continued to work with young children for three years and became a lead teacher.

My Favorite time of the day to spend with the children is during our outside time.  I believe any indoor activities can be transferred to an outdoor activity.  My children love to take circle time outside, art projects and even new challenges, like an obstacle course.  The excitement it brings to the children never ceases to put a smile on my face.

The children love our art activities.  I mainly use processed art which helps children create a masterpiece from their perspective.  I noticed that the children feel a sense of confidence in their abilities, and they take pride in their work.  I enjoy singing silly songs to my children the most!  Singing to them always seems to calm a child or make a child laugh and giggle all while learning new rhymes.

I am motivated by the satisfaction of knowing I have an impact in a child’s first impression of school and learning. Watching a young child succeed at a new skill fulfills me with joy and gratification of knowing I played a part in their success.

I currently live in Sarasota, Florida. In my free time I play tennis with my sister.  I also enjoy other outdoor activities such as paddle-boarding, kayaking, walks and watching the sunset at the beach.  During the weekends, I volunteer at my church’s thrift store and teach Sunday school to early elementary children.

I would recommend CCEI to anyone who is pursuing or even currently working with young children. The program is very beneficial, flexible and manageable for a busy schedule. CCEI offers plenty of time to complete your courses and tons of encouragement.  I always looked forward to my Education Coach’s emails.  I would like to thank the CCEI program and my Education Coach. They both were very helpful in my success on completing my FCCPC program.  I will forever be grateful!