Throughout my teaching career, I have been asked this question by others in my profession, out of my profession, and by myself. I have had many opportunities to think about why I became a teacher, and for the most part, my reasoning has been the same for years.
I have known that I wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten, when my mom used to find me teaching my stuffed animals simple math problems. I have always been drawn to the power and influence a teacher has, probably because so many of my teachers used their own power and influence to support their students in various helpful ways. In high school, especially during my junior and senior years, so many people questioned my choice to become a teacher. I was told that I would never make any money and that being a teacher was a waste of time, however, my stance never wavered. I stood up for the teachers I knew and all the teacher prospects out there. “We’re not in it for the money” I would tell them, while also trying to convince them being a teacher was the right choice for me. |