Teachers have a tough job. They definitely do not get the credit or the respect that they deserve. There are few people that are not in the profession that understand the hard work that goes into being a teacher. For three of my four years in college, I thought that this was the career path for me. I wanted to play that role. I wanted to inspire students. I wanted to do something important and worthy. Then, I found myself to be a senior in college and I decided that teaching was not the path for me.
I have always been a planner. Anyone who know me knows that. I find comfort and security in knowing what will happen in the days, week, months, and even years to come. Being an education major did that for me. I had a direct path. There is never a question of what you do with an education major; you teach. However, I found the days of student teaching drawing closer and graduation was not too far away either. I was dreading it. I know that most people dread student teaching or graduation. However, I was not even excited about my future. The thought of one day having my own classroom was not a thought filled with anticipation, but rather dread. If that is not you and you are excited about the prospect of teaching, then that's awesome. You are exactly who we need in our classrooms.
So, I decided to make a change...after a couple of panic attacks. I decided to imagine that I was no longer going to be a teacher and that felt a lot better than what I had been feeling before. I think that that is a definite sign. Sure, I'm still anxious about my upcoming graduation and what the hell I am supposed to do with the rest of my life. But now I have more excitement for the future that is heading my way at an accelerated pace. I no longer have a direct path towards a career, but instead, I have freedom and opportunities for more than one career path.
For the ones that are excited about being a future educator, good. You have an important job. The role that you play in communities is a valuable one. However, for the ones that are seriously doubting if education is the right path, and there are many of us, seriously consider if it is what you want. Only you can make you happy.
