In the early years of my childhood, when asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I gave an expected, silly answer. I didn't say the cliche careers like firefighter, teacher, nurse or doctor. I recall expressing how I wanted to be an actress. I would go on and on about how I want to be inside the TV (as if actresses and actors were just little people in a box putting on a show).
Well, that silly idea went away around elementary school age. I then proclaimed how I wanted to be a writer. I would write fictional stories for little kids. Then I reached middle school. In seventh grade, I was interested in being a writer and writing poems. The next year, in eighth grade, I again was asked the famous question of what do you want to be when you grow up, for the first time I answered a teacher. Then, finally, high school approached, and I realized that is the most popular question when you're that age. My freshman year, I decided I should lay out some interests and see what suits me.
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I enjoyed writing and I enjoyed helping people so I gave journalism a shot. Well, lets just say that wasn't for me. Journalism is so fast paced and can frankly get overwhelming with all the information. My junior and senior year, I then decided to really think about it. It seemed like everyone but me had their future careers carved in stone, while I had a notebook of things that sounded cool.
I took child development and loved the aspect of children, their learning process, and even childbirth. For awhile I considered midwifery. I did student teaching in the high school's daycare along with student teaching at Handley Elementary. From then, I fell in love with the thought of teaching. I told myself, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I can do it.
A lot of people try to discourage me saying how poor teachers get paid and treated. Yes, I know they don't get paid the greatest, but it's a job someone has to do because your child's future depends on it. And yes, I am very aware of how mean parents can be, but you have a chance to be the better influence on the child.
I think I found most interest in elementary because that's the base of education. A lot of teaching should be done at home from an early age such as basic names and colors, amongst other things. As much as that should be done, a lot of the time it isn't. Not all kids are fortunate enough to have good parents to teach them. This where we come in and teach them not only book smarts but also just to be a good person.
A good teacher is worth more than you think and you should be forever grateful if your child has a good teacher. I worked with some kids who had a bad home life, their parents didn't care at all. They just sent them to school and that's where they learned everything from. So with a child like that, you have a chance to be the good influence and help them.
Teaching is so important and is taken so lightly by many people, including parents. Your child goes into his kindergarten class not knowing how to spell and graduates from elementary school with honors and goes on to be not only smart but a good person with good morals and ethics.
Yes, some teachers flat out suck, some people are not meant to teach, some school systems are worthless. But that one great teacher is worth the world. They are helping your child have a meaningful life full of intelligence, manners, and happiness. I chose to teach because it inspired me. I'm aware it's going to be hectic, chaotic, stressful and at times overwhelming, but the gift of education is worth all of it. Seeing a child that you met a year prior and they are so smart and eager to learn - knowing that you helped make that happen is worth it. The greatest things you can give a child are love, education, ethics, and happiness.
