Tuesday 21 June 2016

Annette Lambeth - Helping People as a Career Choice

I was lucky enough to be raised by parents who always encouraged me that one of the most satisfactory paths you can take in life is one which helps others. Whilst this idea may have its roots in our religious beliefs, it is a common human trait to gain satisfaction by being able to see a positive change being made. And there are millions of paths to take to become a responsible, conscientious and civil member of the community and people in general. From working in a hospital or serving your community as a local politician, to helping produce an important local commodity or contributing to important scientific research, there is a myriad of job roles one can take to make the world we live in a better place.

For me, this was always an obvious path to follow, and education was the field that I have always had a passion for. Even as a student I registered an interest in the complexities of the system in which I was being taught, and wanted to know more about, how and why they existed in the ways that they did. I was lucky to be raised a diligent and thoughtful student, but I also saw too many less-privileged students get 'eaten up' by the system. The educational structure worked wonders for children like myself, but in many ways didn't cater for children with special educational needs as much. It was very much tailored towards a specific brand of student.

My interest in the matter led to me pursuing an undergraduate and then doctorate degree in Special Education Administration. I pushed myself to my academic limits during this time, and was able to reap the rewards. During my study I achieved a GPA of 4.0. My dissertation focused on learning style preferences for children with ADHD. 
 
Using the knowledge and skills I developed at university, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pursue a career of trying to better shape the education system for those who need the support the most. We often take for granted the fact that the current structures in place already favor bright and self-motivated students, and so helps less than the majority through the system with relative ease. I hope in my role I can have a positive impact on changing this in the near future.

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