Informational Interview Report: Child Development Major
[Thanks to Melissa for sharing her informational interview about majoring in child development.]
The person I chose to interview was my cousin. She is 22 and just graduated from a university in South Carolina with a major in child development.
We have always been similar and shared the same interests, including our major. I Facebook messaged her, and we set up a time to message over the computer when she got home from her job working at an elementary school.
When I asked her how she knew what she wanted to do, she said she had always enjoyed working with kids and knew she could do that for a long time in her future and not be tired of it. She, like me, had always been with the kids in the family whenever we got together for parties or dinners. We both have a natural talent in working with kids and connect with them easily.
She said patience is a huge thing to have in this type of work and that it is challenging at times to stay calm.
We then spoke about different jobs in that field of study. I told her I didn’t want to be a teacher, and she was telling me how some of her friends went on to become counselors.
The following is what she said when I asked her where she works, what classes she took, how difficult/easy they were, and why she chose her major.
“I work at a kids child development center as a 4-year-old kindergarten teacher. I have 11 kids that just barely missed the cutoff date for kindergarten this year.
“I took quite a few general education classes in the first couple of years at the university but went on to early childhood-related courses. I had courses in teaching math, social studies, science, and reading. I also learned about incorporating technology, physical movement, and music in the classroom. We are also required to take a couple of courses about exceptional and diverse learners.
“In my last year I completed a field experience course, teaching a few subjects two days a week in a classroom, and my internship, fully teaching a class for a semester. The courses were pretty challenging, but that is mostly because my university is very well known for the teachers they produce so it needs to be challenging!
“Finally, I chose my major because teaching is the only occupation I have ever even thought about or cared about! It is definitely a passion and if you don’t have the passion, then you should never pursue it!”
Reflection
I knew that I would have to take some different types of courses, but I didn’t know that I could take specialty classes or learn how to incorporate things into what I was learning.
I am so glad I talked to her more about this. I was nervous about not knowing what to expect, but she helped a lot. I feel more confident starting my journey knowing that I have someone so close that has done it and can help. I have more of an idea about my options and things I can do; not just basics and general education. There are so many opportunities. I can’t wait to start classes next quarter.
Thank You Message
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions. I know you were busy coming home from work and planning your wedding, and I really appreciate it. I love you and can’t wait to talk to you soon.