When I think of the supports that I need on a daily basis, I think first of the support of my husband. My husband has always been my encourager. He encourages me to strive to complete whatever goals I set for myself. He loves me and supports me along every step of the way. Without him and this encouragement and support, I would not be doing what I am today. This support helps me as I seek to grow professionally but also by knowing that I have his love and support behind me as I work toward completing this goal.
I also consider my mother a support to me as she also encourages me as I strive to complete this portion of my educational journey. She helps me by assisting with my three boys in their daily routines as well as helping do things around the house. Without these supports in place, I would probably not pursue furthering my degree and I know that I would not be in education today. I received my degree in education while I my 3 boys were 7, 8, and 12. It was not easy to do, but because of the support system that I had at home, I was able to complete it and now as they are 13, 14 and 17, I am able to continue and pursue my goal of completing my Master's Degree.
I imagined my challenge being that I had moved to another country and was experiencing issues due to the language barrier. I had the opportunity to visit Guatemala a couple of years ago and I got a taste of how difficult it was to communicate with people due to language. I would definitely want/need a translator and someone that could tutor me as I strived to learn their language. Emotinally, this would be frustrating as communication would be difficult. Having a translator and a tutor would help as I communicated with others on a daily basis. Practically and physically, I know that this would take time, but eventually, this would allow me to become a part of their community and gain that sense of belonging. If I did not have the support of a translator or a tutor, I would become frustrated and probably would really never become a part of their community. I could potentially become depressed and withdrawn as I felt that I would never really fit in.
As I write this, I think more about children and diversity in the classroom. We are gaining students everyday that do not speak English and struggle with trying to communicate with others. We need to be aware of these struggles and make sure that we are making them feel a part of whatever we are doing.
