On college campuses, there's typically a stigma that comes with declaring yourself as an education major.
"Those you can't, teach.", "You just want summers off.", "That's an easy major", "You don't want to work that hard." and so on.
So why am I choosing a major that seems so hopeless and easy?
Growing up, I went to a small high school, where everyone knew your name, and you had teachers who knew you almost as well as your fellow students. I had two teachers in particular that were almost my entire inspiration for choosing the major I did. My band and choir teachers shaped me into the person I am today just as much as my parents. They were there to support me as a musical student, and as a person in general.
They had a major impact on my life in a way that no one ever has. They allowed me to express myself through the world of music, giving me the world at my fingertips. They taught me the importance of self-expression, problem-solving, and challenging yourself, whether that be learning a new instrument, singing in german, improvising in a jazz piece, or leading the alto section in the choir. Those two never once gave up on me.
Because of those two, I've decided I want to follow in their footsteps and become a band teacher.
I want to be an education major because I want to help give a child a pathway into the world of music. If the one hour I have them in my class is their escape, then I've done my job. If a student trusts me enough to talk to me about something going on in their life, and allow me to help them grow, then I've done my job. If a student learns the importance of challenging themselves and finding new ways to solve problems, then I've done my job. I'm not going into education for me, no not really. I've chosen to pursue the career of being a band teacher because I can change a child's life. You never know what someone is going through, and from personal experience, music is something that provides an escape from everything else. If I can give that to a child, then they have a tool to help them for the rest of their life.
Yes, education seems like the easy way out. But to me, it's more than just being in charge. It's about affecting someone's life in a way that can change things for them forever, just like my teachers did for me. Not everyone has that gift, and not everyone can shape lives quite how a teacher can.
So please, the next time you meet an education major, remember often they aren't doing it for the summers off, or for seemingly easy it is. More often than not, they want to change a life.
