A career in teaching is not something most people dream of. It's not glamorous, it doesn't pay very well (depending on where and what you teach), and it's consistently been viewed as something that anyone can do. We're told that "those who can't do, teach," and that we should aspire to more than that. So when I tell people that I want to be a teacher, I can't help but feel a little bit judged. But really, I shouldn't feel this way because, despite what others may think, I'm not going to "just" be a teacher.
A teacher is not someone who babysits and hands out worksheets every day. They're not someone who gets to sit at a desk and do nothing while students learn quietly. A teacher is someone who influences the students they have, either negatively or positively. Looking back, I realize that the people who inspired me the most have been my teachers, because they urged me to do what I loved and pushed me to do better. A good teacher is encouraging, patient, compassionate, and deeply caring about their students, and those aren't things that come naturally to everyone.
Teaching is a job that, in order to do well, you have to pour your heart and soul into. You have to care. You have to think of creative ways to make learning enjoyable for your students, even though it's about more than just the test grades. You have to want your students to succeed. You have to want to urge them to be the best that they can be, not just in school, but in life. You have to be there for your students even when no one else is. It's exhausting, because there is very little reward in it. Though sometimes you will watch your students grow up to become amazing people, you may never get to see who your students become, but you work hard anyway. Is it rocket science? No. Is it still difficult? Absolutely.
So contrary to what is being said, this job will not be easy. Standing up in front of a room full of students and trying to simultaneously make them respect you and inspire them to work hard sounds terrifying. I can't imagine that it would ever be easy to get students (who don't really want to be there) to love what you're trying to teach them. But, it's a teacher's job to try, because having any positive effect on a student will make the hard work worth it.
So no, I'm not going to "just" be a teacher.
