When we're little and people ask us what we want to do with our lives, we have all sorts of crazy answers. They range from princess to President to rock star. As we get older, many of us become inclined to a certain skill set or profession. We start realizing what would make us happy if we did it for the rest of our lives. For me, it's teaching.
I decided as a Freshman in high school that I wanted to be a teacher and the only part of that that has changed in my mind is which subject field I wanted to go into. As I've gotten to know more teachers and soon-to-be teachers, I've noticed we all have certain qualities that stand out. If any/all of the following apply to you, you were probably meant to be a teacher.
1. You LOVE puns/corny jokes- especially school-related ones.
Q: How do you throw an outer space party?
A; You planet!
*Laughs for five minutes* *Everyone stares at you like you're an idiot*
2. You have a really, really hard time not correcting people's bad grammar.
Their, they're, there... it's not that difficult, is it?
3. You proofread things for other people often.
...Oh right, it's called teaching.
4. You ENJOY proofreading things for other people.
I get almost excited to proofread someone else's essay. I get to read something I haven't read before AND correct all the mistakes? SCORE!
5. You have a weird infatuation with office supplies.
Notebooks, sticky notes, pens, staples, binders, folders... it's all so exciting. Office max is my best friend.
6. You love learning.
As a teacher you're supposed to know a lot. But as a teacher you will learn a lot. All the time. Everywhere. How exciting is that? You'll never stop learning new things, and if you're meant to teach, that probably really excites you.
7. There's a need inside of you to make a difference in the world.
Teachers really are blessings, and not everyone wants to be one. If making a difference is a big must on your checklist of life, teaching may be in your heart.
8. Summer is your favorite time of the year.
If summer is your favorite season, chances are you've definitely thought about being a teacher. Summers off as an ADULT?? Heck yeah! Spending all winter inside doing what you love and getting the warm summer off is one of the things I look forward to most when becoming a teacher.
9. You're a child at heart.
Whether you want to teach grade school, middle school, or high school, the bottom line is you probably like hanging out with kids.If you get along with kids that well, chances are you never grew up all the way yourself. That is a good thing. You haven't let the adult world form you into someone who doesn't remember how to have fun. You like to talk with young adults and watch them compete in sports, you like to help kids learn to tie their shoes or color inside the lines. You're still in touch with your youth. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.