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Andy Smallman

Andy Smallman

Puget Sound Community School

Career Roadmap

Andy's work combines: Education, Philosophy & Religion, and Being Creative

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Day In The Life

School Director

I direct a school that helps young people discover who they are.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Sammamish High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

    The Evergreen State College

  • Graduate Degree

    Human Development and Family Studies, General

    Pacific Oaks College

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

Graduate Degree: Human Development and Family Studies, General

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    High school didn't prepare me to know who I was or what I wanted to do.

  • 2.

    But I had the sense to not go to college right away. I spent time better figuring out who I was.

  • 3.

    I had extra time on my hands and volunteered to be a Big Brother. I was 21 at the time.

  • 4.

    That experience pointed my way as it helped me understand that my path was working with children.

  • 5.

    I took the steps needed to become a teacher. And said yes to my opportunities along the way.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Society in general:

    You have a baby and a mortgage. You shouldn't give up your paying job to start a school that has no business succeeding.

  • How I responded:

    It may sound trite, but it's really important to trust yourself and follow your heart. In answer to the "noise," I said that I would rather look back on my life at 80 and see things that didn't work out than wonder what could have been if I'd only given it a shot.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • If you don't have a lot of money, find an inexpensive or free way to get your dream started. What's the bare minimum you need to get the ball rolling?