As education majors, we have heard it all. I would like to debunk the myths that are consistently brought up to teachers and future teachers. Teaching takes a lot of passion so it surprises me at how often people belittle it.

1. "Those who can't do, teach"

This is a misconception that I would like to clear up. To begin with, there are so many teachers out there that are huge contributors in their field of expertise (science, language arts, psychology, etc) along side with teaching. Also, teaching is doing. Teaching is an art that requires strategic planning, inclusive adaptation, behavioral and classroom management techniques, creativity, quick thinking, communication, and much more. It is very much 'doing' rather than just 'teaching'.

2. "You won't make any money"

Eh, you could be right on this one. Newsflash: there is not one teacher out there that is in it for the money. We are in it to cultivate excitement, spark passion and curiosity into learning, and to give your children the one thing no one can take away from them - knowledge.

3. "You are selling yourself short"

I disagree completely with this opinion. As a student, I am taking education classes right now and I get butterflies reading my textbooks because of how excited it makes me to become a teacher. I thoroughly enjoy the assignments because they help me learn how to become a great educator. Everyday I think about what kind of teacher I want to be and I have more Pinterest boards than I can count solely dedicated to classroom activities, strategies and tactics. I have books about teaching that I read for fun. My passion to become a teacher is so strong. How many of you can say the same thing about your job? How could I possibly be selling myself short when the motivation to become an educator and help make a change in children's lives is something that gets me up every morning?

4. "Teaching is easy and anyone can do it"

I am not saying that teaching is the most difficult job, because it is not. But I do not think it is "easy" and I know for a fact that not everyone can do it. To be able to control a classroom of 30 kids for 7 hours a day while teaching at least 5 different subjects a day while making sure everyone is listening, learning,and understanding the content is more of a challenge than not. Not to mention that children always have personal things going on that can affect their mood and how they behave in class. It requires passion and skill in working with children, engaging their interests, keeping them motivated, managing a classroom, and much more. I think most people cringe when thinking about teaching and supervising 30 kids all day everyday; so no, it is not something everyone can do.

We all know the difference between a good teacher and a bad one. The bad one treat students like sheep and just try to herd them onto through the year into the next grade. They lecture the same way in every subject all day long, and leave very little room for creativity. They probably do not take much interest in their students and hardly know anything about them beyond how they are in school. Then we have the good teachers who really care for their students and get to know them. They make them feel special. They make learning fun by educating in an interactive way and letting the students use their creativity on their assignments. If you have kids or will have kids, you will know the importance of them having a good teacher, then maybe you will rethink the misconceptions some of you have in your head.

Teaching is a beautiful career that can be fun, exciting, and rewarding. It can also be exhausting and stressful. When a passion and a career come together, it is a beautiful thing. Every President, lawyer, doctor, professor, engineer, etc., has been through school under the influences of teachers! To all the teachers and future teachers; keep making a difference!