To the teacher that got me here:

You are the reason I decided to teach. Before you were my teacher, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. At the time, I thought that teaching was the last thing I ever wanted to do. Why on Earth would someone want to come in everyday and attempt to instruct students, many of whom couldn’t care less? To come in and see the glassy-eyed stares of bored, tired students who wish they were anywhere else. To get paid very little in comparison to the work you put in.

You showed me that teaching didn’t have to be like that. You may have thought that the only thing I was learning from you was the curriculum you were going through, but that’s not all I learned. I learned that everyday lessons didn’t have to be boring. From references everyone understood (Jack and Rose, skiing, music, etc.) to corny jokes that were only funny for their stupidity, you made class exciting. We played games to spark our competitive edge and worked in groups to teach each other. No matter how your day was going, you always tried to make class relatable and engaging for us so that we could be excited about learning.

You showed me that you cared. Whenever I was confused and needed extra help, I could almost always count on you being in your classroom before and after school. That went for any student. I would walk into your room for help and there would already be several kids sitting in desks while you ran from one to the next helping each one through their confusion. You didn’t have to be there. You had a family that you could have gone home to right after the bell rang. Instead, you chose to stick around for a little while longer because you cared about how your students did.

You didn’t just care about my learning though, you also cared about other things I was involved in. At the beginning of the year, we had to write down what hobbies, activities, and sports we liked. You wanted to get to know us. You remembered what we wrote too. I would miss class for cross country or track meets and when I came back the next day, you would ask me how it went. A lot of teachers wouldn’t even remember that I ran track. Many of them never bothered to ask what I liked to do.

These things showed me the value of teaching. They showed me how much of an impact a teacher can have on a student. The care and passion you had carried over to me. Ever since I had you as a teacher, that’s all I’ve wanted to do - teach. I want to be the one that influences students and pushes them toward success. I want to be able to show them that learning can be engaging and interesting. I want students to leave my classroom thinking that their time was worthwhile and that maybe it will be beneficial for their future. I want to be the inspiration for them that you were for me.

There are times when I want to quit; when I want to give up and say "It's too much work. It's not worth it." But it is worth it. No matter how much work I have to put into it, it will be worth it when I see students finding their passions and watching them succeed. Whenever it gets hard for me to continue on this path, I will remember you and what you did for me. Thank you for being the inspiration and push I need to achieve my goals.