I began my career in 2006. In high school, as a sophomore, I attended vocational training in early childhood education courses for three years during my matriculation until I graduated in June 2009. During this time, the early childhood education courses prepared me to be a primary provider of home, family, residential, or institutional-based child care services. This three year state accredited course includes instructions in child growth and development, nutrition, recreation, planning and supervision of play and learning activities, child abuse and neglect prevention, parent-child relationships, and applicable legal and administrative requirements. The three year training permitted me entry to many careers involving children, education, and development. Upon my graduation, I was awarded a 90 hour Child Care Certification by Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care.

During my near 13 year tenure as an educator in early childhood, I have held positions from substitute, assistant teacher, teacher, team lead, and assistant director. I have gain many skills and experiences as a teacher and I am still growing professionally each day. I am currently an employee of St Vincent de Paul of Baltimore. Working for SVDP, I am gaining new knowledge and tips to add to my teaching repertoire. This is my first year working in a head start setting and it is refreshing to learn something new!

My favorite part of the day is music and movement. Children love when Mr. Price, as they call me, laugh, joke, sing and do silly dances during the day. Incorporating music and movement into early childhood education can help young children with development, social interaction and language growth. Playing music and moving to a beat provides stimulating experiences for young children and fosters learning at home or in the classroom. I find this highly important to incorporate music and movement during all daily routines. The most exciting song so far I hear that children love to dance to and get so excited is JuJu on that beat! Play the music and allow their bodies to release all the energy and as a teacher you will benefit from it at the end as well.

From my experience, children are naturally drawn to be outside so it would be best to say that their favorite part of the day is outdoor play. This time allows them the chance to use their muscles to run, swing, jump, skip or hop and to be out in the fresh air and sunshine. They love the slides absolutely! It’s like trying to take candy away from a baby when it is time to transition. Many of my small friends are building up their muscles and coordination as they attempt conquer the monkey bars, winding poles, and jungle rails. It is also fascinating to teach young children the proper positions to swing and they become so ecstatic with their smiling faces as they accomplish the idea.

I have always had the motivation to become a teacher since I was in third grade. I was encouraged by my own teacher as she fostered my dreams. In school, I use to help my teacher in various ways and assist classmates when given permission. At home, I use to decorate my room as a classroom and play school with my brothers and sisters. Of course, I was the teacher, mainly because I was the oldest but we always had fun! What motivates me currently is that when children are young, they are learning sponges and soak everything in very quickly so early. Every new experience, every word they learn, every behavior a child adopts, is an investment in a more productive future. I am enthusiastic about children learning in order to grasp their destiny that waits ahead. I am a true believer that activities should be differentiated and cater to the child’s needs individually and should be given in a fun and exciting way that will encourage children to be effective learners. Education motivates me to inspire a thirst for learning with eagerness and enthusiasm. The love for education takes precedence in the early ages and therefore it is my responsibility as a teacher to open the genie bottle and work my magic to release unlimited possibilities of learning!

What I enjoy most about my career is the approach taken to build a strong foundation for a child’s emotional, social, physical, and mental development, which will prepare them for a lifetime. You can never have a greater impression on a person than when they are in their early childhood years. Early childhood education is about honing and molding the holistic child, which will form the basis of their lifelong journey. As children learn something new or gain new experiences, it gives me a sense of accomplishment that I am making a big difference of the children left in my care.

I reside in Baltimore, Maryland. In my free time, I occasionally like to go bowling, go kart racing, and laser tag. I love to play the card game spades. I attend social events and outings with associates and colleagues. On Sunday, I attend my place of worship at First John Tabernacle Baptist Church. I am a very outgoing person and I am willing to try new things.

I am currently pursuing an Associate of Science degree in Early Childhood Education at Baltimore City Community College. After my completion, I plan to finish my matriculation at Morgan State University to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education. I plan to pursue my career in teaching and therefore my long term goal is to attend graduate school in order to obtain a Masters of Arts in Education with a specialization in Curriculum and Instruction.

I have participated in many programs or trainings with CCEI. I stumbled upon the online training program a few years ago after an internet search for professional development trainings. Since my enrollment, I have completed the following programs: Communication and Interpersonal Skills Certificate, Diversity and Multiculturalism Certificate, Inclusion and Special Needs Certificate, Mandated Reporter Certificate and numerous professional development continued education courses. I do plan on receiving further CCEI coursework. I am interested in staff leadership, early childhood assessment, online curriculum enrichment, budgeting and risk management training courses just to name a few. I am planning on enrolling in these courses very soon and completing each course prior to the upcoming year.

I would recommend CCEI to other child care organizations, businesses, and early childhood professionals. The online training is beneficial to those who need continued education and those who wish to further explore this field in depth with sincerity. My current employer, St Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, utilizes this online system for summer professional development training and many of the teachers have benefitted from it.

CCEI offers various trainings from different areas. I am confident that anyone can find a particular course that meets their needs. The trainings are accessible 365/24/7 which is great! You can take the courses at your pace and whenever it’s convenient for you. I have taken many courses by CCEI and they are not difficult therefore it’s easy to understand on all levels. Another great aspect of the training is that the online portion saves where you left off if you sign out and come back later. This makes a great difference and saves a lot of time instead of repeating the same information. You also receive your certificates after you complete your course which is a major plus for me! I recommend CCEI to all early childhood education educators to utilize for professional development and gain more knowledge about child development.