So, you want to be a teacher, huh? It takes a special kind of person to be willing to receive a minimal paycheck for a hard job, to want to wake up early to be in a classroom, and to be responsible for educating the young minds of today. That’s us, your education students, your future teachers. Here are some things I have found to be true this semester as I have embarked on my journey into teacher education.
1. You’re already excited about decorating your future classroom, and may or may not already have a Pinterest board for it.
2. You hear the term “pedagogy” way too often.
3. Classroom observations are a fun adventure and a chance to wear your “teacher clothes.”
4. You are always on the search for "teacher clothes" and probably own at least one item from Ann Taylor Loft.
5. You are constantly afraid you’ll be mistaken for a student when you go out on observations.
I promise I’m in college. Please don’t ask for my hall pass!
6. You’ve heard from somebody, somewhere, “You look like you’d be a good teacher!”
7. You’ve also heard, “Are you sure you want to be a teacher? You’re not going to make any money."
No Dad, I'm sure I don't want to go into business.
8. You constantly hear about professionalism.
No, I won't post red cup pictures on Facebook.
Yes, I'll look and act professional when I'm in schools.
Of course I'll write my placement teachers thank-you notes!
9. You get fired up about education policy issues and aren't afraid to have dialogue about it. Teacher pay? Standardized tests? Tenure? After all, it affects you. Sometimes you just have to stand your ground.
10. You always get excited about going back to school and getting school supplies!
11. Your passion for teaching outweighs the need for a hefty paycheck. As the cheesy saying goes.
12. At the end of the day, you know that teaching is what you want to do with your life. It’s the look in children’s eyes when a light bulb goes off in their brains. It's all of the teachers you had who inspired you in some way -- those teachers who told you that you were smart when you didn’t think you were, who helped you get through tough subjects and tough times, who made teachers look like superheroes. You want to be one of them someday.
