Growing up in America, children are often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The answer changes often from doctors, lawyers, police officers and even dinosaurs. It isn't until high school when you are asked this question that it becomes legitimate. You are required to have an answer and an appropriate one at that.
Depending on who you are replying to, and what profession you admit to choosing you may get discouraged and undermined. Certain answers are expected, and sometimes you don't have the right one to give.They expect you to choose a profession that will make you the most money or possibly the one which will require the least amount of schooling. Yet, if you instead answer with a different profession, such as becoming a teacher a disgusted face appears and the first question, "why?" is spit at you.
Why do you want to be a teacher? Do you know the minimum salary? Do you realize there isn't much money to be made? Why would you want to pay for four years of college for a job that pays an average salary?Why would you want to deal with kids every day? Why would you want to be stuck in school forever? Do you know that it's a hard profession to get in these days?
From parents to aunts and uncles, to the stranger you meet, or even a fellow classmate it becomes a habit to repeat the answer, "A teacher. Yes I know it's difficult, but it's what I aspire to do." It became insulting whenever someone would ask why I chose the teaching profession. I knew they weren't asking out of interest, they were asking because they disagreed with my choice. They believed someone should go to school to become a doctor, or a lawyer not someone who teaches. It was all about the money. Rather than being happy that with only 18 years of life on this earth I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, they were angry and discouraged I would be throwing my life away at such a "silly" profession.
Well, I am here to say stop asking why I want to be teacher. I am here to answer this question which will help prevent an awkward discussion between you and any other future teachers.
Why do I want to be a teacher? First, I don't care about becoming a millionaire. I know in today's day and age money is the key to not only success but even many people's happiness. For me, as well as many other teacher-to-be's we are not engulfed in the assumption that money equals happiness. Happiness for us means seeing the look on a students face who is finally understanding a math problem. It means being there for students past an education level. It means helping them through their struggles, whether with friends or family. Not only being their educators but quite possibly being their friends.
Second, we know it's a difficult job to acquire. We have all dome the research. We can tell you which states are hiring, as well as which states have the highest salary for teachers. You aren't the only person who has told us this, but thanks for looking out. We realize that times may get difficult, but we will strive to find a career in our field because when you know what you want to be you push forward.
Lastly, the reason why we want to become teachers is because one day in the past, or maybe not until our senior year of high school something felt different. This was the realization of knowing what we wanted to do. Whether it was the moment we helped another peer figure out a math problem, or maybe when we were peer editing an essay we learned we loved to help improve other people's papers. At some point, we knew we were put on this Earth to not only teach but to strive for excellence, and improve the lives of millions of students every day.
So that my friend is why I want to be a teacher.
