My decision to become a teacher wasn’t a difficult one. Since the first time I can remember someone asking me what I wanted to become, my answer has always been “something dealing with kids.” I’ve been babysitting since before I could drive and I have loved every second of it. Caring for, teaching, and entertaining kids, while it can sometimes be frustrating, definitely brings me a lot of joy. After contemplating different careers that included dealing with children, teaching seemed to be the one that stuck with me the most and here’s why...

Everyday I will laugh. Children do and say so many hilarious things so I have no doubt in my mind that my future students will always have me laughing. Even on the rough days when I'm running late, not feeling well, or just flat out stressed, I’m sure one of my students will come up with some witty and comical story or comment to keep me smiling and laughing.

Everyday I will make an impact. Whether it's watching a student finally catch on to a math lesson, taking time to reteach a lesson one-on-one when a student is struggling, or just being a good role model for a child facing a difficult path. Sometimes it only takes a small gesture or act of kindness to make an impact in someone’s life and give them new perspectives. Knowing that I will be able to help students reach goals daily and make at least a small difference in their lives is so fulfilling.

Everyday I will grow. As I teach and inspire children to reach goals and new heights, I will also grow and learn more each day. I will not only grow and learn as a teacher, but as a person, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend. Teaching children can teach you incredible things. It takes patience, love, kindness, forgiveness, and so much more to shape young minds. As a teacher, I will have to learn to have more and more of each of those virtues making me grow even more.

As I started college and would share my career choice with others, I realized how much teachers are under-appreciated by many people. When I tell people I’m going to college to become a teacher, there are really two types of comments I get back. The first is something like, “You know what you’re getting yourself into, right?” or “They don’t get paid anything. Why would you do that?”. The second is more like, “You’ll make a great teacher!” or “That's a great career choice! We always need teachers”. The negative comments do not sway my choice and the positive comments fuel my passion. I guess it's just like the comments that any career choice could receive really, but in my opinion, the pros of being a teacher completely outweigh the cons.

So many people can think of at least one teacher that has made an impact and created a positive change in their lives. When I think about being a teacher, I think about how I will be able to watch my very own students achieve goals and grow into wonderful individuals and that is a reward in itself.