Of course as a new college student, coming home for Thanksgiving means a flood of questions about my new life from my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

"How is college?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"How are your grades?"

and the most important question, "What is your major?"

When I get asked this question, I smile and proudly reply "elementary education!"

You would expect my family's response to be delighted and excited that I`m studying to become a teacher. However, most of their responses were almost negative and critical. Instead I was repeatedly told to switch my major because "teaching is a dead end job that has very poor pay."

I was also told that education is an awful major because no one wants to sit in a classroom everyday with annoying children who don`t respect you. After being discouraged multiple times about my major, I decided to write this piece to explain exactly why I chose to study education and why I plan to stick with it.

For most of my high school career, I was terrified that I wasn't going to a find a major in time for college or at least find something I was interested in studying. It wasn't until my junior year of high school that I had thought about becoming a teacher. I looked around and realized how much work I was doing with children and how much I enjoyed helping them. I became a role model to a lot of the kids I was working with whether if I was their coach, their dance teacher, their babysitter, or their aftercare teacher. It made me feel special to be able to help these children and form a bond with some of them. I enjoyed seeing them everyday and teaching them about life and having conversations with them.

I was also inspired by a few of my own teachers such as my eight grade English teacher (who ironically always told us to never become a teacher.) In a way, his ironic teaching advice only made me want to become a teacher even more to make sure some of these students knew that being a teacher is something to be proud of.

Besides their parents, teachers are responsible for educating and caring for children everyday. Teachers not only teach children about science and math, teachers also teach life lessons and manners as well. We are responsible for educating our students to make sure they get into college or have great career.

Obviously, this is something that I am very passionate about so when someone tells me that I should "change my major" because it is "pointless," I get upset. People that say education is an easy major/job do not understand what we must go through. Not only must students take the Praxis and the PLT, we must also apply for certification and continue our education and training in order to become a better teacher. Once you become a teacher, you must renew your license and pay money out of your own pocket to make sure your students have the best resources.

Sixty percent of teachers have two jobs in order make ends meet which means that more than half of the teachers can't survive off of their salary. I understand that teachers do not make a lot of money but if everyone decided to not become teachers because of money then we would have no teachers. I would rather be teaching and working with kids while making little money than working a job I hate just to make more money. I am not becoming a teacher to get wealthy, I am becoming a teacher to change these kids lives and to hopefully make a difference in Louisiana education.

We are responsible for teaching the next generation and making sure that they are raised properly. I plan to educate my students in not just academics but in life as well. These students need guidance and positive role models. I want to help my students in anyway I can and I hope to make an impact on their lives. I also hope that people, including my family, will have a better understanding now of why I study education.