Statement of Purpose
“Life is a journey and not a destination”- Author unknown
Personal and professional journey of life of my life continues as I pursue my Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) at CSUSB and continue to impact the lives of children with special needs and their families…
Personal and professional journey of life of my life continues as I pursue my Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) at CSUSB and continue to impact the lives of children with special needs and their families…
Personal Journey
I was born in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka and migrated to the U.S. in 1990. I completed my primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka. I was raised by my wonderful parents who taught me faith, morals, values and the gift to believe in myself. Both mama and dada have emphasized the importance of education even though they did not have opportunities to pursue their education. My parents have been inspiring pillars in my journey of life. I am the youngest of 4 children. My brother has been the driving force for my success in my journey and both my sisters been my cheer leaders. My husband Zinnoon adds value to my life, supports me, and inspires me by helping me to put things into perspective. Present Journey at CSUSB My quest for learning continues as I pursue my doctoral degree at CSUSB. Being in a cohort model gives me the opportunity to learn about elementary, secondary and higher education. Also I have the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise of the importance of the foundation in early childhood education and early childhood special education for children with special needs. I am interested in researching about assessment of inclusive practices. My research topic is Assessment of Inclusive Pactices of Head Start Classrooms to Improve Access of the Preschool Curriculum for Children with Special Needs. Transformational changes will be implemented in Head Start preschool classrooms as a result of recommendations of my research study: Professional development & trainings to work with children with special needs and the utilization of the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) to assess the inclusive environment as a best practice. Future Journey Forever changing and growing aspects of my journey sparks my desire to be a Professor at a University (preferably at CSUSB) or Community College to add to the literature on research and to enhance the lives of students who are pursuing their higher education in the profession or Early Childhood Education (ECE) or Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). I will continue to advocate for typical and atypical children and their families by becoming a transformational leader and a reflective practitioner upon completion of my degree. My long term goal in life is to serve as a program director at the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) in Sri Lanka. I want to provide training and development to empower families of children with special needs and advocate for their children. |
Professional Journey
My journey took a leap when I arrived in the United Stated of America on December 3rd 1990 from Sri Lanka. Attending college in America and earning a degree was my childhood dream. Dreams and goals are very important to me. Compassion, respect, relationships and trust are treasured attributes that I believe and live by. As the saying goes, “It is not how much you know, it is how much you care.” I respect diversity. Everyone is unique and has a special story. I respect children, families, staff members, administrators, and community members. Parents are the first and most important teachers of a child’s life. Building and maintaining relationships are very important to me. My leadership and community involvement activities include: Serving as the Co-President of the Coachella Valley Autism Society, Secretary of the East County Child Care Council, Member of the COD - ECE advisory committee, Committee member of the Week of the Young Child celebration, provide trainings and present and conferences, In addition to my involvement locally, I also contribute my time to support the growth and development of children with special needs in Sri Lanka. My professional journey began to blossom when I sat in my first college class at College of the Desert in June of 1992. After earning five degrees (A,A, in economics, A.A. in early childhood education, B.A. in child development, M.A. in early childhood special education and M.A in educational leadership) in twenty years, my quest for learning and to make a positive impact in the lives typical and atypical children still continues. I began my humble career as a child care provider and climbed the career ladder by serving in many positions: Assistant Teacher, Teacher, Site Supervisor, Coordinator, Behavior Specialist, Program Development Specialist, Adjunct Instructor, Program Director and Program Specialist. In each of these positions, I have continued to be an advocate of typical and atypical preschool age students. I believe in empowering parents as they are the first and most important teachers of a child. I believe that all children can and will learn. Collaboration and delegation are important to me when accomplishing a task. I always find the balance between the task and the process. |