Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Idara Essien.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Idara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always loved being in school. My father’s side of the family is from Nigeria and school is very important in our culture. My mother is a 1st-grade teacher, so I spent a lot of time in the classroom. I would help her with organizing her classroom, lesson plans, and grading papers. As soon as I went off to college for my undergraduate program, I knew teaching wasn’t in the future for me. I had planned to be a pharmacist and I ended up receiving my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Riverside. Soon after, I started working for a few Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies. I even worked for Robert Mondavi winery in the quality control lab. I really didn’t enjoy working in a lab, but I did enjoy taking lab and science courses. I wondered if others felt the same. I ended up going back to school to finish my 2nd degree in Chemistry and I noticed that I was the only female of color in my science courses. I thought to myself “what are the experiences of undergraduate females of color in the sciences?” I met a professor who convinced me that it could serve as a thesis topic if I was interested in a Masters degree in Multicultural Education. I decided to transition and focus my research on narrative inquiry. I finished the program in two years and decided to continue my studies and I finished my Ph.D. degree in Educational Leadership at Arizona State University back in 2010.
My spouse and I finished our program at the same time with our then 1-year-old daughter. I taught online courses for a few years and decided that I wanted to go back to the classroom. I absolutely loved teaching online and was excited to go back to the classroom. My daughter had started preschool that year and her experience was different from what we had expected. There was a struggle with building relationships with teachers and there was always this negative perception that we would receive as soon as we walked into the door. We had a few encounters with schools that I felt very uncomfortable with and I started to do some research on building relationships and trust with families and educators. I loved reading and understanding the experiences of children in early childhood education. After trying to understand our experience, I decided to go back to school and receive my masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Early Childhood Education.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My role as a parent – it hasn’t been a smooth road for myself or family. I believe some families navigate the early childhood experience quite different from others. I believe it’s important to share stories and to take time to understand everyone’s story. I believe it’s important for educators to build relationships with ALL families and to work on understanding their positionality once they are in the classroom.
My role as an educator – It hasn’t been a smooth road for me in this area as well. It took me eight years to land the position that I have now. There were times ( like five years ago) when I thought I was ready, but I can see now that I wasn’t prepared. I’m glad that I had to wait, I was able to gain experience and knowledge within those eight years and I am grateful for that journey.
My advice to young women( if it’s work-related) would be to enjoy the journey. You are building you! All of this is part of the process, and everyone has a different clock. When it’s your time, you will be ready! Be patient and know that we all have a purpose.
Please tell us about your work.
Currently, I am an Assistant Professor in Child and Family Development at San Diego State University (SDSU). My work focuses on the dynamics between educators and the children and families that they serve. In particular, my work employs counter-storytelling as a lens to illuminate cross-racial dynamics in early childhood contexts.
Not sure what sets me apart from others. But, I can say that I really enjoy teaching, I love working in the CFD department at SDSU and I love hearing stories and understanding experiences in early childhood education. I find myself to be a very student-centered professor and I really do care about all of my students.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Yes, being in the classroom with my mother really played a huge part in my role as an Assistant Professor. I had gained so much experience but I was able to see how empathy is important when you’re around young children and their families.
Also, you learn to be more compassionate to others when you’re around so many different individuals. I believe having that experience and growing up with a Nigerian father taught me about differences and loving those differences.
Contact Info:
- Website: idaraessien.com
- Email: joyruby6@yahoo.com
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