My Passion

I grew up with two older brothers. They were always there to play with, compete with, but mostly take care of. My mom would always call me 'Mother Hen.' I was always trying to mother them even tho I was the baby in the family. 

I started babysitting when I was 9 or 10 years old. I loved kids and loved being able to be apart of their lives.

When I was 19, I decided to pack up and move to Austin, Texas. I wasn't ready to go back to school and I was in dire need a change in my life. I started looking online for nanny positions that could possibly take me somewhere other than here. I signed up with an agency online and soon after received phone interviews. A month later I was flying down to Austin to meet the family that I would soon be living with. 

Immediately I clicked with the little girl, Ava. She was 18 months at the time and already seemed so smart. They took me on a tour of Austin and explained my duties if I were to accept the position. I was SOLD.

I could go on and on about Austin, but it was really Ava that I was most looking forward to taking care of. 

I flew down in August and started settling in. My days consisted of taking Ava to pools, parks, museums, movies, and other fun things around the city. It was a blast! Besides all of the complications of living with the family my time spent in Austin really solidified my love for children. 

 Some pictures I took of Ava

Upon my return to the Northwest, I began school at Gonzaga University pursuing my degree in Sociology and Elementary Education Certification (That's a mouthful). I have spent my senior year volunteering in classrooms and dedicating my time to researching low income schools. My thesis is near and dear to my heart. I've been studying how universities prepare their teachers to work in low-income, urban schools. These schools are populated with children who are already have so much stacked against them, it is truly my passion to see that quality teachers are distributed to these high-need schools. 

With all of this said, I just wanted you to know what I really feel passionate about. Of course clothes, shoes, and jewelry are interests of mine, but they could never make me feel as loved as when a student says:

"Miss Mallah, I wish you could teach me forever."

That's what does it for me. That's what pulls at my heart strings, and makes me want to be the most amazing teacher and example of a person.