Practice Blog Post 1

Outline
I. About me
II. Why I want to be an educator
III. 21st century educators
IV. My passions

My name is Kirstin Bailey, I was born and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama five years ago as a freshman in high school. Being someone who was not fond of high school, I did dual enrollment and early graduation, and knocked my entire freshman year out so that when I started South in the fall, I was a sophomore. I work at a vet office, animals are almost as cool as children and a big interest of mine. Animals are a challenge but the work is definitely a blessing, and a lesson in the medical feild.  I always thought I would end up back in Georgia after high school, then I found South. I first visited my sophomore year of high school, when my sister decided to go to nursing school here and I fell in love.
My family is very special to me. I am very close with my mom and go home to see her as often as I can. My family used to be very spread out, but my nana has finally moved to Foley, Alabama. That just leaves my aunt who lives in Houston. She comes to visit a good bit, I am often mistaken for her daughter because we look so much alike.
Education is important to me. I think it's important that children have a place to go where they feel safe, especially if they don't have a great home life. Teachers are supposed to be the foundation for such kids. For all the other children, it's important to be a foundation to them as well. It is important to mold their minds and encourage them to learn in exciting new ways.
Twenty-first century educators have so much technology right at their fingertips. It's important to utilize that technology and use it any way possible to teach children and to inspire them. Teaching in this century means advanced everything, advanced knowledge, advanced abilities, and advanced learning. Children are smart and capable and full of questions. They just need to be pushed, listened to, and answered, and this century gives more of the capabilities for it.
My passion is animals and children. While I haven't gotten to work as much with children as I have with animals, I enjoy the time I have gotten with each. My boyfriend and I have a bird dog named Millie, she is a boykin spaniel and is sweet and wonderful and incredibly intelligent. Watching her work is a huge passion for me, her grace and her beauty I would not trade her for anything in the world.