Early childhood education major George LaFleur came to UL Lafayette to follow in his favorite teacher小蝌蚪APP檚 footsteps.
小蝌蚪APP淚 felt a very strong connection to her,小蝌蚪APP George said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 felt loved. Welcomed. I never had a teacher do that before. That小蝌蚪APP檚 why I tried my hardest in this program 小蝌蚪APP because I want to be her, basically.小蝌蚪APP
George小蝌蚪APP檚 teacher, Robin Amanda Jeffers, helped George escape an abusive relationship and see a path forward.
小蝌蚪APP淪he was like, 小蝌蚪APP榊ou can do this.小蝌蚪APP She took me under her wing,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淲hen a teacher can see something in you, it helps you. I saw what a teacher can do for a student. They can change a student小蝌蚪APP檚 life.小蝌蚪APP
Ms. Jeffers died in a car accident while George was in high school, and her death deeply affected George. He tattooed her name on the inside of his arm, and he carries her classroom key on a lanyard. She remains his inspiration as he begins his career as an educator.
Accepted at UL Lafayette
George started college at LSU Eunice, and then transferred to UL Lafayette to finish his education degree. As a gay black man, he said he didn小蝌蚪APP檛 always feel welcome in south Louisiana.
小蝌蚪APP淲hen I came to UL Lafayette, it was a whole different ball game. They welcomed me with open arms," he said.
"I felt safe. It小蝌蚪APP檚 very different 小蝌蚪APP it小蝌蚪APP檚 more open here, people are more accepting, they小蝌蚪APP檙e here to help you, and you don小蝌蚪APP檛 feel lost in the crowd.小蝌蚪APP
His identity is also part of the reason he chose early childhood education as his major. He started substitute teaching kindergarten when he was 19, and he loved it.
小蝌蚪APP淚 wanted to break the norm. I saw that my class was full of African American males, and I had just four girls,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey were amazed to see someone who was like them. There are no males to help guide these young African American men.小蝌蚪APP
For his , the year-long student teaching experience that all education majors complete their senior year, George is working with kindergarteners at Broadmoor Elementary.
Broadmoor also has an English as a Second Language program for kindergarteners through fourth grade, and that小蝌蚪APP檚 inspired George to consider earning his ESL teaching certification 小蝌蚪APP something he小蝌蚪APP檚 wanted to pursue since working as a foreign exchange coordinator before starting college.
小蝌蚪APP淚 see kids who don小蝌蚪APP檛 speak English, they小蝌蚪APP檙e sometimes passed around and they don小蝌蚪APP檛 get that help they need,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 want to be that teacher to help them and push them up instead of passing them through the system. I thought I had to go to another country to teach English language learners, but I want to settle here and teach here.小蝌蚪APP
The Power of Community
George has found a home in the College of Education with his 小蝌蚪APP淭eacher Gang,小蝌蚪APP a group of six education majors who have taken the same classes since starting the together.
小蝌蚪APP淲ithout them, I don小蝌蚪APP檛 think this would have been possible. I wouldn小蝌蚪APP檛 have made it this far,小蝌蚪APP George said. 小蝌蚪APP淲e would lesson plan together, we would hang out together, we would cry together, we would vent together. We support each other.小蝌蚪APP
With their help 小蝌蚪APP and the help of his professors 小蝌蚪APP George has worked hard to become the teacher he wants to be.
小蝌蚪APP淯L Lafayette pushes us to bring more to the curriculum. The curriculum says to do this, but how can we do more? We want to add to and enhance our lessons,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淵ou can小蝌蚪APP檛 just read a book about teaching 小蝌蚪APP you have to get your hands dirty.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 not an easy career choice, and this program is not easy. It小蝌蚪APP檚 worth it, though.小蝌蚪APP
