Typically when adults find out you are a college student, their first question is “what’s your major?” When I respond with “education” I can already see the judgment on their face. ‘They don’t get paid a lot.’ ‘The education system is awful though right?’ ‘Are you sure you want to spend time trying to do that?’ ‘Why teaching?’ ‘Are you trying to breeze through college?’ I can guarantee that if I said anything, and I mean anything, else those questions would not be asked.
One thing I will NEVER understand is why people continuously put down Education majors. There is absolutely no reason for it. We are choosing to spend the rest of our lives educating our youth, building up their mental capacity, and teaching them things that they will use forever. We are using our future preparing others for theirs. What would happen if all the degrading comments got to all of us? Who would teach? Would kids learn from iPad games? Would they even learn at all?
I have never degraded anyone else’s major because, well there are multiple reasons. It’s not my place to do that, you do what you want to do, who am I to stop you from chasing your dream? I’m not. That’s why I’m so confused as to what you are trying to do when you degrade my personal decision. I know teachers don’t get paid a lot. I know the school systems continuously have issues. I know that my classes might not be as ‘hard’ as yours. I know all of that. But I don’t care. I don’t care because I will grow up doing what I absolutely love. I will be teaching children skills they will carry with them forever. I will be making a difference in our young children's lives. I might complain here or there but there will never be a day I will come home after work and hate my job. There will never be a day I will wish I had majored in something else. I will never regret this decision. I might be in school for five years taking all of my ‘easy’ classes, while you graduate in four years and have a starting salary higher than I will ever get paid, but at the end of the day if I’m doing what I love then really who cares?
To all of you education majors out there, keep doing what you love. Go for it and don’t let anyone stop you. Don’t let anyone put you down. Teach because it makes you happy. Teach because you love the kids. Teach because you want to make a difference in someone’s life. Teach because it’s the only thing you can see yourself doing. Teach for that teacher that inspired you. Teach for the younger version of you. Teach because honestly, we wouldn’t be anywhere without our teachers. Teaching isn’t for everyone, but for the few who were put on this planet to do so, keep following your dreams. Keep inspiring children. Keep learning. Most importantly, keep teaching.
