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Before I took the first class with Dr. Metcalfe I was grieving. My pain and struggle were from intense bullying I had experienced from kindergarten until the age of 16 years. In middle school, I went through the most trauma in my life. My own classmates bullied me to the point of emotional exhaustion. I reported these events to my teacher but she did nothing and showed no care for my suffering. As time passed I became extremely depressed and suicidal. I began to wonder if I did something to deserve the way kids were treating me. My one time dreams of becoming a teacher faded away. Those thoughts of suicide remained with me until my second year of college when I began taking developmental classes with Dr. Kim. She was caring, sensitive, and kind. She taught us all of the strategies to use with children when become teachers. But she also used the same strategies with us. She encouraged us to think of ourselves as a puzzle that only we can put together. She led by example. She also encouraged us to take care of old hurts and pains so we could reach our full potential. Because of Dr. Kim I sought out help to deal with the old wounds from my past. Today, I feel like my time with Dr. Kim saved me. My dream of becoming a teacher was restored. I am an Associate Teacher at Riverside Community College. I am working toward my Psychology Associate of Arts degree. I plan on becoming a Developmental Psychologist, like Dr. Kim. I remember her words as if they were spoken yesterday “Don’t be an ordinary teacher. Be an extraordinary teacher and think out of the box,” and now I always do! Thank you, Dr. Kim!!

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