Hello! My name is Michelle Coker. When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. In my childhood home you would often find me in the playroom pretending to be a teacher and playing school. I remember having laundry baskets as desks and stuffed animals and childhood friends as students. As a child I was raised in an in-home daycare setting. Throughout my childhood I was always surrounded by friends and as an older child I enjoyed helping my mother take care of the children. However, as I grew older my dream was forgotten and I became more interested in working in an office specifically in a doctor’s office. In 2011 I obtained my associates degree in Health Care Administration. After obtaining my degree I found it difficult to find a job in the field because of lack of experience. My husband then suggested that I stay home and watch children. Immediately after starting my in-home childcare I discovered my passion for early education. Each morning I wake up, I’m excited to share in children’s learning and watching them grow. I love to plan learning experiences that excite the children and challenge them. I would have to say that my favorite part about working with children is to observe them and witness the moment they’ve discovered something or grasped a challenging concept. These special moments along with the children I care for daily is what has inspired me to go back to school to earn a degree in early childhood education and make my childhood dream come true. It is my passion to help young children reach developmental milestones in their own unique ways. I feel my experience of being raised in an in-home daycare setting, my teenage years as a babysitter, raising my own child and my current experience puts me exactly where I am meant to be. My time as a childcare provider consists of being responsible for and monitoring the well-being of children in my care, assisting children with personal tasks, organize and prepare meals and menu plans, organize plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences, plan routines to ensure each child has enough physical activity rest and playtime, document children’s learning experiences while watching for developmental problems, record keeping, and ensuring the childcare is in compliance with all state licensing childcare regulations. In my free time I love to read and spend time with my family.