Being a teacher means educating others.

I want to become a math teacher because I want to impact lives the way my teachers have done in the past. Prior to college, the past 14 years of my life have been getting me ready for what I am doing now, and all I can think about is what my life has meant to me. I’ve discovered my interests, hobbies, and even where I stand politically, but the most interesting fact I found about myself is that I want to be a teacher. Most of the role models I’ve had in my life were teachers. My mom, and my calculus math teacher have inspired me to do what I am planning on doing to do in the future the most. Since the second grade, I knew what I was going to be.

Math was one of those subject that fascinated me. Numbers upon numbers, different values and configurations and formulas that unfurl into systematic equations, all elements which made me consider math as a career. The teaching part came into play because my mom is a teacher, might I add, a great teacher. Every year, the students’ parents come to her saying she has done such a good job teaching their child, and it just stuck with me, this idea of being appreciated as much as she was. Next, my calculus teacher was very inspiring to me as well. One of my interests is theatre. The more I listen and watch it, the more theatre calls to me. She has been an inspiration to me because she found a way to combine the things I like and want to do with in my life. As choreographer of the school play, and a leading math teacher at my school, her tenacity and determination to her students in both fields motivates me to do what she does.

There have been many factors leading to the decision of me becoming a teacher, but the most important component of my decision is that I care about this. I am willing to do everything in my power to educate my future students to the max, and teach them that even a hard and treacherous subject can be fun. Why do we learn a subject in the first place? The answer is fairly simple: for the real world applications. I want to train the minds of tomorrow and give them everything they need to make it own their own in the real world.

As I think about the American Dream, I think of how each American has a chance to be prosperous through hard work and dedication. I believe have done everything. I made friends, became an officer of several clubs in high school and college and became studious. I love school, a thing you don't hear people say quite often, and based on my plans for post-collegiate education, I want to be in school for the rest of my life. I am willing to put in the work, no matter the outcome. The American Dream is what pushes us to be who we strive to be. It affects everyone in a way that is indescribable. It motivates people, and pushes them to want to be successful.

I am a freshman at Mount Saint Mary College majoring in Adolescence Mathematics Education, minoring in music and theatre. I will put my life to make this world a better place. I will take initiative and be my own role model. My name is Alexander Perlak and I am your next educator.