Personal Narrative: My Goal Of Expanded Learning

“Unfortunately we are pulling the plug on the operations of the capital region effective at the conclusion of the summer.” I have been involved in expanded learning program since I was a child where I attended the afterschool program at my elementary school. Growing up I always wanted to become a teacher when I grew up, but once I was introduced to the expanded learning field as a teenage volunteer I was hooked. The goal of expanded learning is to support local efforts to improve assistance to students and broaden the base of support for education in a safe, constructive environment (California Department of Education). Imagine yourself sitting in the office on a relaxed Friday morning; everything is business as usual. Then two big cooperation …show more content…
After being recommended by the principal I was hired with THINK Together and was able to retain most of my staff. Through the situation of changing provider the support from the school and the community made me feel valuable. Although at first my confidence was down due to the rocky transition from providers, the rebound was glorious and fulfilling. During the next three years, I would be exposed to many amazing people and events in my life that would help me become who I am today. I met some strong leaders who believed in me even when I didn’t fully believe in myself. I was pushed to reach higher and in turn achieve higher. The development of my leadership skills helped me coach and mentor my staff to become leaders themselves and promote leadership among the students. Then the day came when it was time to say goodbye to the school I had been at for eight years, one of the hardest days of my life. Once again the provider was asked to leave to make way for another and as I think back to that time it still hurts that my team wasn’t able to show the new administration what we could do. The silver lining is that I was transferred to another school, my current school, and inherited an outstanding school, team and partnerships. I did everything in my power to enhance the program and develop my staff, but just when things were going great, one Friday changed everything. I’m sitting around a conference table laughing and relaxing with my coworkers. Then two big cooperation bosses walked in and called the two supervisors into a room and closed the door. We are all seated and told that effective after the end of summer programming the region was closing and we are all being laid off. I remember just staring off into the distance and hearing everyone holding back tears. Silence settles over the office and one by one we get up