Sunday, September 2, 2018

Why I Chose to Become a Teacher

    I have wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl. I used to pretend to have my own classroom, grade papers, and teach lessons from old teacher's edition books that were passed down to me. As I got older, my desire to be a teacher just grew stronger the more time I spent working with children.From seventh grade to senior year, I spent a lot of time working with the children's ministry at my church. I helped with Vacation Bible School, TeamKids, and in the nursery. Also, I worked at the church daycare for the past three summers where I worked with children ages two and up. Working in the children's ministry is where I felt the call to become a teacher.
   There are so many other reasons why I want to be an educator. First, there is nothing more fulfilling than helping a child learn and grow. I love helping children and seeing the excitement they feel when they master a hard or challenging topic. Second, I want to be able to mentor students that might not have the mentorship they need at home. Every student needs someone in their corner fighting for them, and I want to be that champion for my students. Third, I had a teacher in elementary school that always encouraged and pushed me to be the best version of myself. She had such a huge impact on me, and I hope to implement that same encouragement in my own classroom one day.
   People always question why I chose to become a teacher. Yes, I know teaching isn't a very high paying career. However, I did not choose this profession because of the salary. I want to be a teacher to have an impact on the lives of students, to shape and teach the future generations, and to instill a love for learning in my students. Teaching has already changed my life in so many ways and filled my heart with so much joy. There are definitely two meanings to a rich life, and I choose this one.