There are so many times when people want to question what I really want to do for the rest of my life. Education majors already get so much grief for wanting to do the job that pays the least in this country even though we aren't in it for the money. There is nothing worse though than hearing, "Oh, so you're just gonna be a babysitter."

Personally, when an education major knows what year or class that they want to teach, there is a reason behind it. It is not like we simply put all of the years in a hat and picked one out. There has to be a passion there. There has to be a reason why you chose the age level that you did. If we all were to simply just pick one, there would be no passion behind what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

I personally want to teach the babies of school. I want screaming five year olds. I want the snotty noses and untied shoes. I want the mess and chaos of them not knowing how to spell their own names. I want kindergarten.

There have been more instances than I could count on a classroom full of little hands that I have gotten the response of "You're going to be a baby sitter." when I tell people what grade I want to teach. Did I ask you for your opinion? Do I really care if you think it is easier? Or am I going to be the one in the front of the room standing around five and six year olds that want to learn.

Here's the thing, kindergarten standards have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. What students were learning in first and second grade are now things that students are learning in the first few months of kindergarten. Ask me how I know this. Lesson plans. Standards. Common Core. These are all things that teachers have to follow to keep their license. It's not, "let's color this picture and take a nap today kids." It's let's learn how to read so we don't have to struggle for the rest of our lives.

For those who think that I just want to be a baby sitter for the rest of my life, I have a story for you -- a true one at that.

Once upon a time there was this little boy. He was seven years old and in the first grade... again. This little boy, we will call him Phillip, was a smart little boy. He could count and add, he could even draw wonderful pictures, but he struggled to read. I know, most of you are thinking, well that's normal, he's young, he will learn. Imagine for a second not being able to read at all. Not being able to understand and comprehend little characters on a page that everyone else around you was doing wonderfully at.

Now, Phillip was a wonderful child. He behaved great in school and was always willing to help. He never acted up and always tried his best, but never could fully understand reading. Then, one day, the teacher noticed something about Phillip. Phillip was in the same clothes that he was the day before. They were dirty and stained and smelled a little off. This is when Phillip's teacher began to realize the home life that this student had. He had no support at home and was not helped to practice his work. This put Phillip even farther behind in school.

The story does continue, but here is a little something about Phillip. Phillip was who inspired me to become a kindergarten teacher. This little boy struggled so much in kindergarten that they passed him right along through the system and pushed him onto the next teacher. I know, I can't believe that someone would do that rather. *insert eye roll here*

So, for all of you that still think I just want to babysit for a living, I don't. I want to change children's minds. I want to push children to learn when they are young so that they don't have to suffer through first grade, second grade, and so on. I want to teach children young so that they have a strong foundation to start on. I want kindergarten so that I know that the children that come through my classroom are not going to struggle the rest of their lives. I am not going to be a babysitter for the sole reason that I will be an educator.