During my time as a student I was privileged enough to have many great teachers. Many of my previous teachers are the reason that I am pursuing a career in education now. There is one teacher in particular that did such an outstanding job when it came to being an educator. This teacher always comes to mind when I am asked why I would like to go into the education field. My kindergarten teacher is the teacher that has made the biggest impact in my life. When I think back to being in her class I have such warm, fond memories. She had so much love for all of her students, she was constantly determined to help her students achieve, and above all she had a passion for her career. It is these things, along with many others, that made her such a wonderful teacher.
Looking back, it seems like my kindergarten teacher always had a sense of purpose. She was not just a teacher for the money (since there is not great money in the education field). She was there to make a direct impact in the lives of her students. As a teacher of young children she took the job of shaping our young minds very seriously. There were always high expectations for all of her students. We were constantly being encouraged to achieve and even when we fell short she was there to help us out. She was one of the most influential people during my formative years.
My teacher always put her students and their needs first. She made sure all children felt safe when they entered the school. She was beyond caring and understanding in every situation. She went above and beyond to make sure all her students were comfortable and safe. I never got too scared or intimidated when it came to going to class. She did an amazing job at helping all her students adjust to not being with their parents all the time anymore. She was always approachable and I was always able to come to her with any issues I had. I knew that I could talk to her about anything that was bothering me or that I was struggling with. If she ever had a bad day none of us would ever know because she always came into class with a smile on her face and a great attitude to tackle the day with.
On top of being so caring, she was also so patient. It is hard for anyone (even educators) to handle so many children all at once for eight hours a day. When a student did not understand the material she was teaching she took the time to explain it in a way they could better understand (even if that meant taking time away from other things). It was her endless patience that really stuck with me all these years.
When it came to learning, my kindergarten teacher made it fun. I remember playing so many games that had hidden education agendas in them. As a child I didn’t realize that I was learning while also having so much fun. My teacher made creativity a top priority and encouraged my peers and I to embrace being creative. We were always told to think outside the box and to ask questions. I feel like she is one of the many reasons I am such an inquisitive person today. There was never a time when we were not learning in her classroom. I feel like I became so advanced at such a young age because she instilled a love for education in not only me, but all her other students as well.
There are so many things that go into making a teacher so wonderful. I can’t imagine having another person as my kindergarten teacher. It is because of my kindergarten teacher that I decided to pursue a career in teaching. I look to her for so much inspiration. I hope that one day I can be at least half the teacher she was. She made such an impact on so many lives and I hope to do the same when I have my own class.
