Paige Nakashima

Responsibilities

During my internship at New Horizon Academy, I was responsible for supporting the daily care, education, and development of young children in a preschool classroom. My responsibilities included supervising children to ensure their safety, assisting with classroom management, leading educational and creative activities, and helping children through daily routines such as meals, naps, transitions, and outdoor play. I worked closely with my co-teachers to create a positive and engaging learning environment while encouraging children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. I also communicated with families through daily conversations and the ProCare app, documented children's progress and activities, maintained a clean and organized classroom, and ensured that all health and safety procedures were followed. These responsibilities allowed me to develop strong communication, teamwork, classroom management, and leadership skills while gaining hands-on experience in early childhood education.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment during my internship was gaining the confidence to take on a leadership role in the classroom. By the end of my internship, I was able to independently lead daily activities, manage classroom routines, and build meaningful relationships with the children and their families. I became more comfortable handling challenging situations, supporting children's social and emotional development, and working collaboratively with my co-teachers to create a positive learning environment. Seeing the children grow, learn new skills, and become excited to participate in the activities I planned was incredibly rewarding. This experience strengthened my confidence as an early childhood educator and confirmed that working with young children is the career I want to pursue.

Learning experience

The greatest lessons I learned from my internship were the importance of building strong relationships, being flexible, and working as part of a team. I learned that every child develops and learns at their own pace, so it is essential to be patient, adapt teaching strategies, and create an environment where every child feels supported and valued. I also learned that effective communication with families and coworkers is critical to providing consistent care and helping children succeed. Another important lesson was that even small interactions, such as encouraging a child, listening to their concerns, or celebrating their accomplishments, can have a meaningful impact on their confidence and development. Overall, this experience taught me that being an effective early childhood educator requires compassion, collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth.

What advice would you give?

My advice for future students majoring in Human Development and Family Studies is to take advantage of every opportunity to gain hands-on experience through internships, volunteer work, and field experiences. The knowledge you learn in the classroom becomes much more meaningful when you can apply it in real-world settings. Be open to feedback, ask questions, and learn from the professionals around you. Building strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills is just as important as your academic knowledge because these skills will benefit you in any career within HDFS. Most importantly, keep an open mind about the different career paths available in the field. Every experience will help you grow professionally and prepare you to make a positive impact on the individuals and families you serve.