Hana Kim

Biography:

I am currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Architecture (M.Arch) at Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD)

The M.Arch program at Harvard provides an expansive array of opportunities to foster my intellectual curiosity, engage with emerging knowledge, develop creative responses to problems, and learn to communicate those finds effectively using design language...I have been able to enrich my academic experience by gaining knowledge in architectural history, theory, technology, and professional practice, while developing a mastery of design through an intensive series of studio courses with my peers. 

My experiences as part of the ECS program have been pivotal in the trajectory of my unconventional career path. The program’s emphasis on both theoretical knowledge and practical application provided me with the opportunity to recognize that early childhood education could be integrated across almost every discipline [such] as law, music, medicine, engineering, or even architecture. 

In my first year of study...I started cultivating an interest in environmental education and investigated ideas for environmental literacy through diverse courses offered. To explore these seemingly integrated yet conceptual ideas, I sought a final year internship opportunity at the Toronto Botanical Gardens (TBG) [where] I started to recognize the relationship between the physical environment, teaching pedagogy, and children’s learning. In addition to placement opportunities, working with supportive faculty professors on particular projects as a research assistant provided evidence in the possibilities for school designs to promote children's learning, physical health, psychological well-being, and social equity. The integration of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired through the ECS program allowed me to develop my career path. 

Without the comprehensive course of study at the school, I may have not recognized the career possibilities that exist within and beyond the field of early childhood education. Skills for collaborative practice and communication learned from previous placement experiences, as well as group work, have enabled me to participate in collective design dialogues in graduate school. As instilled through the ECS curriculum, I continue to learn through inquiry and play. I look forward to building my career through the translation of experiences and learning what I have gained as an ECS student.