About Me
Let’s start from the beginning, I went to a local primary school near where I lived, which I would honestly say these were not the best years of my life. This is due to having Epilepsy as a child, which stopped when I was 7 years old. The Epilepsy hindered my learning due to being on the medication to control it. People would often say I was away with the fairies because I would just stare into space, my teachers would think I was taking in the information and learning because I looked straight at them, but I took nothing in.
I can’t remember much of my childhood, but all I do remember is when I was about 6-7 years old my teacher sat me down and gave me a test, I couldn’t even read and all I did was cry. The teacher just kept looking down at me shouting at me and telling me to do the test and to stop being silly. Eventually the teacher had to ring my mum to come and fetch me because I was hysterical.
My mum had been telling him that I couldn’t read but he didn’t listen. I then went to secondary school, which for the first few years I hated, my mum had to force me to get on the bus to school. My mum really pushed for me to get help, as I was so far behind. After seeing a psychologist, he advised that if I didn't get help straight away, I would suffer a nervous breakdown. I eventually got a statement which enabled me to have more help with my reading and have extra time in my exams. Although by the end of year 10 and 11, I did not need the extra time in the exams, and passed all my G.C.S.E’S. These two years were some of the best years of my life.
The part of my childhood I do remember and would never change, is when my parents adopted my two younger sisters who I love very much. I went to school after Christmas and people would ask me what I had and I would say two baby sisters. I also have an older sister too who I love very much and I have always looked up to her. One of my younger sister’s has Global Development Delay, she uses Makaton (sign language) to help her speak and since being little I have been able to use this with her. I have always tried to help my mum and dad out looking after her especially if they had to go to a doctor’s appointment with my other sister.
While at school I either wanted to work with children or animals and people kept telling me they’re the same thing, so I had experience at a dog kennels, donkey sanctuary and in a nursery and decided I wanted to work with children. From then on I went to college and gained my Level 2 Certificate in Child Care and Education and my Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education. Alongside all these courses I went on placements, to nurseries, schools and playgroups.
I later went onto university to study a 2 year Foundation degree in Children’s and Young People’s Services. I attended university 2 days a week and 2 days at a placement which was at a school for the first year and then the second it was at a Day Nursery. The other day was a study day but I got a job in a playgroup mainly supporting a child with learning difficulties. He had no speech but this progressed as I worked with him. He would climb on tables and chairs a lot and was unable to sit for a considerable amount of time, so I would have to ensure for his safety and encourage him to join in with activities. I worked with him for two years before he went to school, I did get offered a chance to work with him and follow him through school but I wanted to top my degree up to a BA. So I completed a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree. Alongside this course I volunteered at a Sure Start Centre, working within the nursery and also working closely with Barnardos.
After finishing the degree, I worked at a summer camp in America for 10 weeks educating and supporting children from 3 years to 17 years, planning activities, organising karaoke, playing games and much more. The camp was a gymnastics camp so I was trained to teach children 3 – 5 years basic gymnastics such as forward and backward rolls, hand stands and cartwheels. It was my responsibility to ensure the children were safe and all counted for. This was one of the best experiences I’ve had and I would recommend anyone to take part in something like this!
After working at the summer camp, I had decided I wanted to work as Speech and Language Therapist Assistant and then eventually become a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. I applied for many different posts and received two interviews and they had said that my interview was perfect and that I had various amounts of experience but there was someone else who had more experience. I then decided I would work at a nursery and work with Speech and Language Therapists that come into the nursery.
I worked at a Day Nursery with children 3 months – 2 years and I enjoyed this very much. After about 4 months working at the nursery, I got offered another job at a Montessori Nursery where they used Makaton and used P.E.C.S (Picture Exchange Communication System). Due to me wanting to eventually become a Speech and Language Therapist, I thought this would be a good place to start. I then got the job at the Montessori Nursery which was such a lovely place to work. I met Speech and Language Therapists that came into the setting to assess children and this made me more determined to do what I've always wanted to do. After realising this, I left the job at the nursery and worked as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant for about 2 years.
I am now currently completing a Masters in Speech and Language Therapy to enable me to become a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.
I can’t remember much of my childhood, but all I do remember is when I was about 6-7 years old my teacher sat me down and gave me a test, I couldn’t even read and all I did was cry. The teacher just kept looking down at me shouting at me and telling me to do the test and to stop being silly. Eventually the teacher had to ring my mum to come and fetch me because I was hysterical.
My mum had been telling him that I couldn’t read but he didn’t listen. I then went to secondary school, which for the first few years I hated, my mum had to force me to get on the bus to school. My mum really pushed for me to get help, as I was so far behind. After seeing a psychologist, he advised that if I didn't get help straight away, I would suffer a nervous breakdown. I eventually got a statement which enabled me to have more help with my reading and have extra time in my exams. Although by the end of year 10 and 11, I did not need the extra time in the exams, and passed all my G.C.S.E’S. These two years were some of the best years of my life.
The part of my childhood I do remember and would never change, is when my parents adopted my two younger sisters who I love very much. I went to school after Christmas and people would ask me what I had and I would say two baby sisters. I also have an older sister too who I love very much and I have always looked up to her. One of my younger sister’s has Global Development Delay, she uses Makaton (sign language) to help her speak and since being little I have been able to use this with her. I have always tried to help my mum and dad out looking after her especially if they had to go to a doctor’s appointment with my other sister.
While at school I either wanted to work with children or animals and people kept telling me they’re the same thing, so I had experience at a dog kennels, donkey sanctuary and in a nursery and decided I wanted to work with children. From then on I went to college and gained my Level 2 Certificate in Child Care and Education and my Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education. Alongside all these courses I went on placements, to nurseries, schools and playgroups.
I later went onto university to study a 2 year Foundation degree in Children’s and Young People’s Services. I attended university 2 days a week and 2 days at a placement which was at a school for the first year and then the second it was at a Day Nursery. The other day was a study day but I got a job in a playgroup mainly supporting a child with learning difficulties. He had no speech but this progressed as I worked with him. He would climb on tables and chairs a lot and was unable to sit for a considerable amount of time, so I would have to ensure for his safety and encourage him to join in with activities. I worked with him for two years before he went to school, I did get offered a chance to work with him and follow him through school but I wanted to top my degree up to a BA. So I completed a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree. Alongside this course I volunteered at a Sure Start Centre, working within the nursery and also working closely with Barnardos.
After finishing the degree, I worked at a summer camp in America for 10 weeks educating and supporting children from 3 years to 17 years, planning activities, organising karaoke, playing games and much more. The camp was a gymnastics camp so I was trained to teach children 3 – 5 years basic gymnastics such as forward and backward rolls, hand stands and cartwheels. It was my responsibility to ensure the children were safe and all counted for. This was one of the best experiences I’ve had and I would recommend anyone to take part in something like this!
After working at the summer camp, I had decided I wanted to work as Speech and Language Therapist Assistant and then eventually become a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. I applied for many different posts and received two interviews and they had said that my interview was perfect and that I had various amounts of experience but there was someone else who had more experience. I then decided I would work at a nursery and work with Speech and Language Therapists that come into the nursery.
I worked at a Day Nursery with children 3 months – 2 years and I enjoyed this very much. After about 4 months working at the nursery, I got offered another job at a Montessori Nursery where they used Makaton and used P.E.C.S (Picture Exchange Communication System). Due to me wanting to eventually become a Speech and Language Therapist, I thought this would be a good place to start. I then got the job at the Montessori Nursery which was such a lovely place to work. I met Speech and Language Therapists that came into the setting to assess children and this made me more determined to do what I've always wanted to do. After realising this, I left the job at the nursery and worked as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant for about 2 years.
I am now currently completing a Masters in Speech and Language Therapy to enable me to become a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.