The Final Blog

So recently Mr. Astill told me that I need to learn how to “sell myself,” so this last blog entry is all about me and all the wonderful things that I have done so far.

I’ve known for quite a while what I’ve wanted to do. Probably since grade 6 or grade 7, I’ve known that I want to work with kids who have Autism. In grade 10 during Planning, I was looking into different careers that involved children with autism. That’s when I came across Occupational Therapy.

For my work experience I shadowed an ABA-SEA who was working with an autistic boy in grade one. Although her approach would have made my mom cry, spending a week with her just solidified my desire to join the field of OT.

I’m not sure what made me want to work with children under 5, but that is the age group that I’m interested in. That’s why, when I was in grade 11 and Camosun offered the ECE-150 course through the school, I jumped at the chance to take it! I’ve never wanted to go into the field of ECE, but I figured this was a great (and not to mention super cheap) opportunity.

So far, things had been working out pretty darn well for me. Why wouldn’t they continue that way? Well there’s really no reason they wouldn’t…so they did.

This past September, my mom opened her preschool, Little Blue Early Learning Center. I organized my schedule so that second semester I would be able to work there at least part time. Around this time I was looking at potential schools and different programs.

I organized my courses so that all the hard ones (Math, Bio, English and Chem 11) were first semester, so second semester could be very relaxed for me. My only requirement would be Chem 12, and my other courses would be Dance 12 and 2 blocks of work experience.

Around Christmas time, I had narrowed down all of my potential post-secondary school to just 3: U-Vic, Capilano, and SFU. At U-Vic, I would get a degree in Child and Youth Care. At Capilano, I would get a degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis focusing on the Autism Spectrum. At SFU, it would be a degree in Education focusing on either Early Childhood Education or Special Education.

Victoria doesn’t appeal to me, SFU is too far out of the way, and so that leaves Capilano. I checked the academic requirements for Capilano and it turned out that I didn’t need Chem 12, so when KC Knight asked me to take Calculus with him, I said “Why not?” and switched my schedule around.

So second semester rolled around my schedule was like so: A- Work Experience, B- Work Experience, C- Calculus, D- Dance. Things were working out so well. I loved spending time at the preschool and classes were great. Then, spring break came along and I realized something; why was I still going to school when I could be spending all my time with the cuties at the preschool instead? Why not just do some courses by correspondence and work full time?

And that’s exactly what I did! I came back from spring break and asked Mrs. Raddysh if I could drop Calculus and Dance and do Family Studies and Psychology from home. Because I’m such a wonderful student, Mrs. Raddysh couldn’t say no.

So here we are, 3 months, 1 conference, 1 Pro-D Day, 1 day of observation, and countless hours spent with 11of the most adorable kids on Salt Spring Island!

Mr. Astill and Mrs. Raddysh: if either of you want to meet with me sometime to talk about my semester feel free to e-mail me or give me a call at home. Thank you so much for allowing me to end my Grade 12 year this way. I couldn't have asked for anything better!!!!!