Empowerment Through Empathy: Miss Tamara Tan Ann's Journey in Teaching Resilience

Community Hero: Teaching Resilience through Empathy in Learning

From hating children to embracing them as a career choice, my journey with Miss Tamara Tan Ann illustrates the transformative power of empathy. The co-founder of 32 Pages-a grassroots initiative that empowers children's learning motivation and resilience-began her transformational path while seeking internships to hone her skills in psychology.

Initially, I harbored reservations about children due to their perceived immaturity, entitlement, and misbehaviors. However, upon witnessing these qualities as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles, my perspective evolved dramatically. The impetus behind this change came from the desire to serve those who were not getting enough support.

With a psychology degree under her belt in 2021, Tan sought internships that would prepare her to offer therapeutic support to children and adolescents in the future. She realized she lacked firsthand experience with them. So, Miss Tamara stepped into the role of an adult volunteer, focusing on behavior management and social-emotional development among children.

The Little Readers: Big Dreams program that began then focused primarily on English literacy for children aged four to 10 years old. The challenges faced-such as tantrums, inattention, and avoidance behaviors-were overwhelming at times but also served as a wake-up call about the need for emotional resilience development within these communities.

Miss Tamara Tan Ann decided to adapt her program by integrating tools that would promote socio-emotional growth alongside academic learning. She saw children with challenging behaviors not as obstacles but as opportunities for understanding and support.

Today, Miss Tamara and her team-Chloe Ng, Cheryl Lee, and others who share their passion-serve over 100 children across three neighborhoods: Redhill, Herson, and Bukit Panjang. Their work is supported by a dedicated volunteer network of more than a dozen members as well as partnerships with various community organizations.

The most impactful story for Miss Tamara involved engaging with a five-year-old boy who was initially labeled as difficult to manage due to his disruptive behavior during activities. It became clear that the issue wasn't with the child but rather with how adults were interacting and relating to him.

Reflecting on her personal experiences, where she felt misunderstood and undervalued as a child, Miss Tamara decided to listen instead of imposing expectations or judgments. This approach not only improved her interactions with the boy but also helped in building his self-esteem and resilience over time.

Miss Tamara Tan Ann's journey with empathy is an embodiment of how understanding our personal narratives can lead us towards fulfilling careers that positively impact others. She has used this insight to create a safe space for children to grow, where they learn about resilience through the support of adults who model empathetic behavior.

The belief in her work exts beyond just helping today's children; it also encourages a future generation capable of offering empathy and understanding when supporting children. Instead of dwelling on personal experiences that may have shaped our perceptions, Miss Tamara focuses on creating new narratives of growth, learning, and resilience within each community she serves.

By sharing this journey, we can inspire others to look beyond their own stories and find ways to empower communities through empathy and understanding.
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