What is Your Calling?

My goal in becoming a life-long learner and educator was established in preschool. With the exception of Chucky Olsen prematurely giving me the inside scoop on Santa, my preschool and kindergarten experience at a family-owned center in Auburn, MA was filled with wonder, play, and learning. It was the late ‘60s, and today, the methodology would not be considered developmentally appropriate as the focus was more teacher directed with a focus on academics and paying attention. However, positive guidance was the form of discipline, we had ample time to play, sing, dance, run, twirl, and be children. Mrs. W. and her husband and bus driver, “Uncle Al” along with Mrs. Suzie, created an environment of joy. They were Swedish and we learned vocabulary and to sing in the language. Although I was still not happy with Chucky Olsen, we performed a duet in Swedish at kindergarten graduation. As a college student, I went back to visit Mrs. W. who had long since retired. Once again, I was welcomed with open arms and was told I was always one of her favorite students. She had a gift for being an active listener and making her students individually feel special. I have a feeling she told most returning students they were her favorite.

Looking back as an adult, my experience in preschool informed my future career and personal paths. A love for learning and helping others was born. Tutoring a neighborhood friend in learning and printing her letters was a rewarding activity, especially when she was able to accomplish what I tried to teach her at my wise age of six years old, to her four years. In addition, the love for music, which had been instilled at home, was further enriched in preschool and provided my first on stage gig as singer. Finally, the desire to communicate with people in a meaningful way to establish relationships was modeled for me in preschool. The combination of teaching, performing, and leadership played a role in my future pursuits in theater and as a voice major, earning an undergraduate degree in mass communication and public relations which led to an early career in marketing communications and later nonprofit senior leadership, and finally full circle to teaching full time at the college level.

My family moved a lot when I was younger. We were renters. Either the rent went up, the landlord wasn’t friendly, or my father didn’t like the neighborhood after the fact. I went to three fourth grades, two fifth grades, and two sixth grades. I always had to adjust to being the new kid. Luckily my personality was easygoing, and I didn’t have trouble fitting in and adjusting because it had become routine. It gave me the opportunity to view varied teaching styles and methods; something that would be beneficial in later years. By the time I was sixteen-years-old, I wanted out of high school. Through my experiences in theater, and community activities, I spent much of my time around people much older. I was an old soul. Anything I was involved in, I always went for the leadership role—president of the candy stripers (teenaged hospital volunteers), president of Junior Achievement, assisting in teaching acting classes while in high school, stage managing shows. High school, with the exception of my beloved home room and music teacher, Miss G., was more of a distraction and I wanted my life to begin.

Originally a voice performance major at School for the Arts (SFA) at Boston University, I earned my undergraduate degree in marketing communications/public relations at BU College of Communication (COM). I loved COM because I felt at home, welcomed, and the school was also filled with frustrated artists who had transferred from SFA. I think we all had the desire to communicate with an audience. Many of my classes resonated at COM. I loved Journalism class with Jeremiah Murphy, a Bostonian and veteran beat reporter. He was funny, spoke to and not at us, made the stories we reported on relevant, gave us inside tips on how to coach interviews to get needed information, and taught us how to write succinctly on the fly. Skills learned in college and later honed in professional roles included mentoring, collaborating, conflict resolution, presenting, recruiting, teamwork, and time management.

After a few years in marketing communications, I realized that I was consistently drawn to organizations that focused on children and education. My calling took hold, and I earned two M.Ed. degrees, the first in Early Childhood Education, and the second in School Leadership and Administration. There were many good classes but the course that resonated the most was Administrative Leadership. Professor Tateronis was a wonderful instructor and I base my teaching on her style. She was open, vibrant, happy to see her students, gave us meaningful and fun assignments, and also realized that we were people with lives, not just students. She took the time to make connections, and she did it with humor and compassion.

My positions in ECE have included assistant teacher, teacher, center director, regional director then director of operations for a family owned chain of child development centers, VP of Child Development for the organization with the contract for child care for Walt Disney World cast members, Executive Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Cape and Islands, and Chief of Education and Family Services Officer for a Head Start organization. I started adjunct teaching for Fisher College in 2012 and fulltime at Massasoit in 2020. I'm also midway through my PhD studies. Lifelong learner.

My combined experience in the positions listed above informed my teaching and provided countless examples that are shared to enhance lecture content. Since I entered the ECE field with a background in leadership, my movement in positions occurred approximately every two years. This was not from a lack of loyalty or being disgruntled, I was promoted or ready to accept more senior roles as a result of the prior experience. There was a time when it was frowned upon to change positions with that frequency, but in recent times, it has become more the norm.

After close to thirty years, my experience in varied roles I now consider an asset to my teaching and consulting. I am able to look through the lens of a parent, student, classroom teacher, as well as leader. I often tell my students and clients that I know what it’s like to be on both sides of the desk. This knowledge gives me a global view that I can easily translate when providing relevant examples to my students in class discussion or professional development trainings to ECE groups.

I make a conscious effort to remember the teaching styles of my favorite professors and incorporate their methods into my own group and individual instruction. I am a coach-mentor at heart. Making a connection with students and ECE professionals, and helping them confirm their calling, gives me such joy. It is akin to the adrenaline rush of being on stage. Teaching, while genuine, is also a performance art and takes stamina. Providing a safe space for my students to openly share thoughts and opinions is important. There is rigor that accompanies every course, training, and seminar, but I always remember that my students are people first, and I give them grace when life interferes with studies. They know that a standard must be met, but they are generally more at ease because there is mutual respect.

My evaluations consistently highlight that students appreciate my willingness to be flexible, and that my style helps ease their apprehension in pursuing coursework. My most recent evaluations from college students in Child Development, and Program Administration for Early Childhood include the following comments: “I have never had a teacher actually hold classes and engage students in a fun manner. I actually learned a lot in this course and was happy to select it as an elective.” “I loved the instructor because she was nice, understanding and well-experienced in subject matter and beyond.” These comments validate and infuse my desire to keep making meaningful connections with my students and clients. We learn from each other.

I base my teaching on Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. “Anything that is worth teaching can be presented in many different ways. These multiple ways can make use of our multiple intelligences. (Gardner). It is understood that critics of his theory state, “Gardner has not conducted any empirical research to test that his “intelligences” are indeed autonomous faculties” (Traub 1999). However, my own experience in having talent fostered, and through observation of students in my own classrooms in and out of the traditional school setting, I am a firm believer that students have gifts that need to be nurtured.

When I teach my own students and mentor clients, I remember the lessons of my own professors and supervisors, as well as my experience, both good, bad, as well as celebrations and challenges. I always strive to be in the moment, an active listener, compassionate mentor, relevant to the currents needs of the students, and fully inclusive and respectful to all. Lessons learned from my parents, and yes, at preschool.

What's your calling? Now that you know about me, I’d love to hear about you, your organization, and your consulting needs. Do you need a trainer for your professional development day, or speaker at an event? Perhaps there are morale issues and your team could use an infusion of positive energy. Maybe you are a new or experienced leader and need an assist in strategic planning or coaching on conflict resolution. Perhaps you work at a center in crisis and need consulting on how to improve and get back into a quality groove. Please reach out to me at yourockconsulting@gmail.com or call or text me at 508.367.7549. You are in this field for a reason, and you rock.

Rock on!

Sonia