Ever since Kindergarten, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher; everything about the job just seemed so important and so glamorous to my little 5-year-old mind. But even though the years have passed and my interests have waxed and waned, that passion and excitement for running my own classroom has not diminished. I always felt that it was what I was born to do.

Unfortunately, when I tell people that I'm following my dreams to become an English teacher, it's always met with mixed reactions. Some people applaud me for taking on the ambitious yet important role; although they realize that the job must be demanding, they offer the support and kind words of encouragement that push me through the hard parts. Just as often, I encounter people who offer nothing but criticism. I can't tell you how many times I've been reminded that the pay won't be fantastic. Many scoff at the thought of spending a lifetime in amongst crowds of children. One person was even so kind as to guarantee that I would never find a job! However, I never take their pessimism to heart because I know that the end reward will greatly outweigh any downfall. And if I had the time or the patience to explain my reasoning to every critic, this is exactly what I would say:

First of all, the times are changing. Being an educator no longer consists of standing in front of a classroom, lecturing day after day. Instead, it's about fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where a diverse group of students is not only encouraged to strive for traditional academic success (i.e. A's and B's on a report card), but where they're also able to glean important knowledge, abilities and profound understandings that will follow them throughout life. Educators are the ones who prove to students what they're capable of accomplishing, pique their interests through meaningful and relevant lessons, all the while promoting that critical sense of classroom community that helps every child to feel loved and valued. With this nuanced perspective, the importance and responsibility of being a teacher suddenly heightens ten-fold.

Secondly, English as a subject has a bad reputation that most teachers fail to address. Students are bound to resent coursework that is seemingly dull and irrelevant to their lives, but I hope to convey the worthwhile purpose behind these misunderstood lessons. To put it bluntly, language is at the core of everything. Without it, you wouldn't be able to read menus in a restaurant, have a conversation with your best friend, or even think coherent thoughts! (Side note, you know this article that you're reading? You can thank your teachers for that!) Language is insight. Language connects people. And I want to be the educator who exemplifies how English will not only help students to encounter and to have compassion for differing perspectives, but who will also help them to better understand their own life experiences and how to co-exist with others.

Finally (and most evidently), I would tell any cynic that I simply don't care about the negatives. My life ambitions are my own and nobody else's; I shouldn't have to justify them to anyone. Of course I've weighed all of the pros and cons! I am entirely aware of what I'm setting out to do. But regardless of those minor bothers, I'm still here today, closer than ever to completing my certification! In the meantime, I would request one thing - for that person to keep me in mind when and if they decide to have children of their own. Because on the other end of that child's critical progress toward competent reading, writing, speaking, and listening, a teacher - maybe even me! - will be guiding every step of the way.