I grew up all my life with the irreplaceable support from my parents. They always encouraged me to do my best and, while they offered me guidance on everything in my life, I never felt like they told me I had to be a particular person. So in a way they gave me freedom to become who I wanted to be: they offered me love but they didn't use that love to control me, my actions or my beliefs. Instead, they gave me an example of what I could be and offered me the option to decide if I wanted to be like them or to use their example to become my own person.

​

When I decided that I wanted to become a teacher, my parents asked me if this was what I wanted. They were ecstatic that I chose this career because they thought it suited my personality well. Yet, they wanted to know if fulfilling this path in life would make me happy, despite what they believed.

​

This freedom to choose the path that leads to my personal happiness is one that I want to emulate with my students. I want to offer them guidance along the way, but I do not want to stifle their path toward happiness. Like my parents, I want to give them just enough freedom to discover for themselves with the assurance of me being there to give support and offer advice along the way. 

​

The quote above helps realize this vision. There will be days when my students feel that finding their happiness seems like an impossibility because of the current storm brooding in their life. Nevertheless, it's my job as their guide to help them find something positive in the storm, something that they find reason to dance for.