Choosing any major in college is hard, but no matter what you choose there will be some surprises. Ever since I declared my major as Elementary Education, I've been surprised with some unexpected things that come along with my major. Here is a little bit of what I've found so far:
"OMG, so you want to teach 2nd grade right?!"
I cannot even begin to count the amount of times that I have told my major to someone and received this line in response. I actually don't want to teach 2nd grade at all and a lot of Elementary Education majors don't! We applaud those who do though, because that is one exhausting group of kids.
Arts, Crafts, Music, & PE
Call me silly, but I totally forgot about these aspects of elementary school when I declared my major. These are definitely one of the biggest perks of being an elementary ed major, especially when your final in the class is to create a game for everyone to play. Between joining a sorority in college and being an elementary ed major my crafting skills have improved tenfold! Not to mention all of the day spent in Methods of Teaching Music that we just danced, sang, and made silly songs.
"You'll blend right in with the kids!"
Thank you, so I've been told time and time again. I thought that it was a good thing to look youthful? On countless occasions I have been mistaken for a student intruding in the faculty lounge, office, and volunteering. Its an awkward explanation every time.
You're literally in the classroom from the beginning
When people say that education majors really get to be in the field fast they mean it! I was in local elementary schools right from the beginning and it made me fall even more in love with my major.
Teachers have to plan everything!
I totally got that teachers have lesson plans and plan their days accordingly, but I had no real idea how much teachers have to plan. The way the classroom is set up in strategically planned, who sits where is planned, what activities occur in what order, and so much more is carefully planned out. It's incredibly intense and gave me a whole new appreciation for teachers.
I finally met my matches
In high school, I was always the friend that was super organized, over planned, was the mom, and explained everything to everyone. When I got to college, I found that there is an entire group of these people and they call themselves education majors.
How much I love it
You always hope you love your major that's why you pick it, but I really fell in love with my major. The greatest part of being an education major in general is that your major loves you back. Being part of local schools and communities means that I get to have a very real impact before I even graduate. There is no better feeling than being able to do what I love everyday!
