From Farm Values to Future Classrooms: How Emma Shanks's Journey Shaped Her Passion for Early Childhood Education
What is your personal/professional story?
Currently, I am a sophomore at Shippensburg University majoring in Early Childhood Education. I am from a suburban town in Maryland called Hagerstown, about halfway between Washington DC and Baltimore. At home, I live with my mom, dad, and my dog Minnie.
As far as my educational journey goes, I went to a small elementary school by my house. It wasn’t until middle school that I was truly exposed to the diversity that my town offered. I made many friends, some being from Pakistan, Poland, and El Salvador. In high school, I participated in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-Related Programme, in which I developed my passion for teaching under the Maryland Teacher Academy while pursuing my academics with IB. There, I made more friends with others who were different from me. I met a student who had just moved from the Dominican Republic and a student who lived in Sri Lanka for a few years when she was younger.
All of these experiences lead me to where I am today. I am a college student looking to make a difference in the field of education by strengthening my understanding of others.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
It is only fitting that I describe the key moments in my life in the form of influential educators. My first influential teacher was my second-grade teacher, Ms. T. She is who truly triggered my spark for wanting to become an educator. I remember a specific moment in which she had a pointer in the classroom that she told us she had made in college. I remember thinking, “Wow, you get to make classroom tools in college?”.
My second inspirational educator was my middle school algebra teacher, Mrs. F., and my English teacher Ms. H. Not only were they best friends, but combined they were some of the most kind and compassionate people I had ever met. Mrs. F. led the service club at my school and I got to see her everyday work to make the school a better place. Ms. H. made her classroom feel like a home. We always worked together and she was always open to hearing ideas from her students.
My final influential teacher, was my high school AP Calculus teacher, Mr. W. At the onset of the pandemic as school became entirely online, Mr. W. adopted with such speed and optimism that I enjoyed going to his virtual classroom every day. While he had used more traditional methods before the pandemic, he was not shy to try new things to help his students. He opened office hours and stayed after school on weekdays and Saturdays until 6 or 7 o'clock just to make sure that his students got the help they needed. I hope to emulate the same passion and drive to help students when I am a teacher.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
I think my passion for serving comes from a variety of influences. On my dad’s side, I come from a family of dairy farmers. My grandfather was one of the most selfless people I knew. He would wake up at the crack of dawn to go work on the farm and come back home late at night all to do it over again the next day. All in the name of providing the best quality “Shank’s Milk” products to his customers. In that regard, I think that my passion for serving has been ingrained in me ever since I was born.
I also think my passion comes from my parents who instilled values of hard work and perseverance into me from an early age. Because I developed these skills as a child, I now want to use my knowledge to support others. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. This innate desire comes from my passion for serving. This passion was also fostered by me watching my mom give back to her community. At the holidays, she often volunteers to buy gifts for children or the elderly and spends her own money to buy them. I admire her every day.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
As a future educator, it is critically important that I become well-informed on inclusion practices as well as become exposed to a greater variety of learners and their stories. When I attend the Global MindED Conference in June, I am looking forward to learning from trailblazing professionals in the fields of child development and education. I hope to make a greater meaning of what it means to be a teacher to me, and how I can foster my love of learning in my career.
