The teachers I have had throughout my elementary and high school careers have helped to make me into the person I am today. It is because of them that I am pursuing a degree in education.

Way back in sixth grade, I began to think about what it would be like to stand at the front of the classroom and lead a group of students in an engaging lesson. We had so much fun with our sixth grade teacher; she was one of the first I had that made me realize how important it is for teachers to get to know their students on a deeper level.

Ever since then, there has been absolutely nothing else I have wanted to do with my life. If I had to drop everything and choose a new career path today, I would be lost.

Moving on into high school, it became even clearer to me that teaching needed to be in my future. Seeing how my teachers interacted with us and genuinely cared about our lives has made all the difference.

I went to a small school, so the majority of our teachers were also coaches, club advisers, and involved in the community. Not to mention that I had several classes with the same teachers throughout the years. This allowed them to get to know us outside the classroom, to see our dedication to our teams and our non-academic interests.

They were always so supportive and encouraging, always willing to go the extra mile and guide us through the trying time that is high school. And getting students interested in Shakespeare and logarithms is not always an easily attainable accomplishment, but they usually found a way to get us engaged in some way or another.

To anyone who thinks teaching is an easy profession, or that it is for "those who can't," let me get something straight. There is so much more that goes into teaching than many people will ever know. It is too much to outline within this article, because the list could go on and on.

I am less than a year away from becoming a full-fledged teacher, and there are still many parts of the job that I won't completely understand until I actually get out there and do it.

I know it will be overwhelming at times, but if I am able to positively influence my future students the way my teachers did, it will all be so worth it.

Teachers definitely do not get the recognition they deserve, but I hope this article at least begins to describe how thankful I am for the caring, hardworking, genuinely wonderful people I got to learn from.

I would not be in the position I am today without the impact my amazing teachers had on me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.