After watching "Cheaper by the Dozen" as a kid, I was so jealous of their crazy chaotic family. My obsession with large families continued when TLC started making shows such as "Jon and Kate Plus 8" and "19 Kids and Counting."
There was just something about the chaos, the love, the adventure, and the community associated with their large numbers that made me so envious of their lifestyles. This was one of the many reasons as to why I chose education as my major. I wanted to be a part of a large, fun, and growth-fostering community, and I knew I could achieve this by working in a school.
I can’t just sit here and say I want to be a teacher to help young people learn, or because I love kids. There is just so much more to it than that. Teachers are profound people and I would love to become one of them. Here's why...
1. To be a part of something bigger.
So many careers have so much hype. Doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs are all incredible occupations. They take a special kind of person, and I am not one of them. I am someone who wants to make a difference in the way people carry themselves, and what better way to do so than to target those who still have so much life to live?
2. To be an inspiration.
What better way to be an inspiration to others than to stand at the head of a classroom and show future generations how anything is possible. The youth have the world at their fingertips and teachers make sure their students never lose their grasp on life's opportunities.
Teachers have the ability to touch the lives of their students in indescribable ways. Teachers inspire students to maintain the perfect combination of determination, passion, and confidence in order to turn their dreams into reality.
3. To make students aware of their capabilities.
I don't want to be someone who just thinks it's "cute" for a little boy to dream about being an astronaut race car driver, or a young girl to dream about being a ballerina veterinarian. I want to make sure they never lose sight of their crazy dreams.
Life is no fun if we give up on these childish wishes. As a teacher I hope I can help my students hold tight to their overzealous hopes and dreams, and believe they will achieve them.
4. To make learning exciting.
Learning should be enticing. It shouldn't be a burden. As a student myself, buried underneath grades and assignments, I nervously and anxiously made my way through school, missing several valuable learning moments along the way. As a teacher I hope to reverse this.
Learning should target what kids love to do. They should be able to run around, play in the mud, and sing silly songs. Learning shouldn't be about getting a certain score on a test, but about embracing what interests you and allowing learning to come as a byproduct of this life enjoyment.
5. To make sure kids have time to be kids.
In life we have one opportunity to be a kid. When we're in elementary school our job should be to come home, grab some Oreos, and then run around the neighborhood until dinner time. In middle school, our job should be to find our hobbies and get involved socially. In high school, our job should be to cultivate our hobbies, further our passions, and enjoy our years of freedom, youth, and stupid mistakes.
Sometimes schools bury their students neck high in assignments, and because of this, their one opportunity to soak up and relish their childhood is lost. As a teacher I hope to make sure students' learning is centered on their child-like passions.
Teaching is NOT an occupation, it is a passion. It takes a special kind of person to wipe snot, deal with crazy parents, or read "To Kill a Mockingbird" over 597 times throughout the years.
Teachers are superheroes who combine their love for learning with their love for creating a beautiful world. And, yes, I know teachers usually don't get paid a lot. But "frankly my dear, I just don't give a damn."
With teaching comes reward, fulfillment, and a rare insight into the power of the human mind and its abilities to innovate and captivate, which in my opinion is better than any sum of zeroes on a paycheck.
I find life to be too short to pursue an occupation that you don’t enjoy. Work shouldn’t be work, but rather a hobby, which is why I'm proud to say that I have chosen education as my major.
