Why this career?

My journey in the field of education has been filled with adventure. I have developed curriculum; presented at conferences; facilitated workshops and taught in different environments such as private colleges, Japanese junior high schools and elementary schools, universities, and in private tutoring sessions both in-person and online. My personal philosophy is that all human beings are educators. For instance, every time you take a leadership role, every time you help someone comprehend an idea, every time you make the effort to understand another person's point of view, every time you are flexible and open to working with others, you are an educator. I believe my role is to help students recognize their innate abilities. Every student that enters my classroom, my workshop, or my virtual learning platform is a unique opportunity for me to learn and grow as an educator. How is this possible? This is due to the fact that each human being has a unique set of skills and life experiences. Therefore, when I am teaching, how people react to the information, or the activity, will vary. At times, a language barrier affects their engagement on a deeper level because of grammar or lexicon (vocabulary), but it is much more complex than that. I have taught absolute beginners to advanced graduate students and, in my experience, communication does not depend entirely on the students' proficiency level, but rather it relies heavily on the students' attitudes. Are they being flexible in their mindsets? Are they open to different ways of learning or participating with others? Are they willing to make mistakes in order to learn and improve? Are they able to make connections from the curriculum to their own lives, to their local communities, to the global community? 21st century learners are well-rounded. Not only do they comprehend the material, but they are also critical thinkers who practice mindfulness and empathy. I feel deep gratitude every time I connect with a student for I am presented with another piece of the human experience that I can learn from and transform my understanding as an educator.