When you graduate high school, it seems like the question "what are you going to study?" or "what do you want to be?" comes up in every conversation. Everyone wants to know where you're going to school and what you plan on doing. Then, when you get to school, your peers want to know. When I tell people that I want to become a teacher, they think I'm crazy. And when I tell them that I want to be a high school teacher, they think I'm insane.

In school, there were very few teachers who made an impact on me. Though many teachers were good at teaching their subject, that's all they did. They told us what pages to read from the textbook, gave us notes, and graded our tests. But very few teachers went beyond that. Very few teachers expressed how much they care about their students. The teachers I developed relationships with helped me not only in class, but also with things that had nothing to do with the curriculum.

One teacher helped me realize where I wanted to go to college. One helped me through the day my dog died. One made me realize I loved English more than anything... I want to be that teacher to a student. I want to help young adults realize their potential. I want to help students learn and succeed. And more than anything, I want to help them with anything and everything else they struggle with inside or outside of class.

I want to be a teacher because I think it is one of the most important jobs. My teachers were some of the most influential people in my life. Kids spend hours every day with their teachers. Teachers are educating the future leaders, doctors, accountants, and lawyers. Teachers are educating children who will one day grow up and make decisions that will impact others. How teachers teach their students will not only impact the students, it can also impact the future and everyone their students interact with.

I want to be a teacher because I love English and I want to share my love with others. The best teachers I had were the ones who loved kids and loved what they were teaching. I want to share my knowledge and love for English with students, but I want to go beyond that. I want to go beyond the curriculum and teach them more. I want to be one of the few teachers I had that shared real anecdotes and taught us about more than the subject, but about life. I want to be one of the few teachers I had that cared and created connections with their students.

Yes, I want to become a teacher. I want to become an English teacher because I want to share my love and passion for the subject while making connections and bettering the future generations.