I have been passionate about working with children for many years. When I was in middle school, I volunteered in a kindergarten classroom and thought to myself, “I want to be a teacher.” Since then I’ve worked with children of all ages, and I am now in my sophomore year of college, studying to be an elementary school teacher.

In my experience with children, there have been times when I ask myself, “can I handle this?” Kids are challenging, energetic, and CRAZY. They push your buttons, ask a lot of questions, and don’t like to listen to directions. Despite all of this, I love them and want to spend the rest of my life teaching. And here’s why…

Children can make you smile like no one else can. No matter how bad your day might be going, they know how to turn it around. They say the funniest things without even trying. They draw you pictures, give you hugs, and look up to you as if you’re the coolest person in the world.

Kids have no filter. This is a good thing because they’re truthful, but it can be a bad thing too, because if they think your shirt is ugly, they will let you know (speaking from experience).

Children remind me not to take life too seriously. Many of them are innocent little souls who still believe that all is good in the world. They bring out the kid in me. Being a teacher will give me the chance to still have Valentine’s Day parties, dress up for Halloween, and wear my PJ’s to school on pajama day.

The biggest reason I want to be a teacher is so that I can be a positive role model in children’s lives and teach them the skills needed to be successful when they grow up. Many students spend more time with their teacher than they do with their parents. They’re at school for a majority of the day and often have busy after-school schedules that only include soccer practice, dinner, and bedtime.

I want to be a teacher not because I want to teach reading, science, and math, but because I have a passion for improving the lives of others. As a teacher, I will have the potential to be the most influential person in a child’s life. I will be sure to set high expectations for myself. I’ll care for all students, but especially those who don’t get enough love and attention at home.

If your reason for wanting to be a teacher is "I want to have summers off," you better rethink things. Most people don’t realize how important a teacher’s job is, or how challenging. Teaching 20 or more young children who are at different skill levels, trying to prepare them for standardized tests, meet their emotional needs, and meet state standards… it seems almost impossible. But I am up for the challenge.

I can’t wait to have a classroom of my own. I have had hundreds of hours of experience, and I know for a fact that teaching is what I want to spend my life doing. It doesn’t matter how much money I make or how many stressful days I have, seeing a student’s face light up when they finally understand what I’ve been trying to teach them: that will make it all worthwhile.