Teaching: An underrated profession

Take a minute and think about your favorite teacher. A teacher who changed your life, or helped  you remember something all these years? What kind of qualities did he/she have?

I am a semester away from becoming a teacher! I am so excited and ready for the challenge. Something though that has bugged me is that when I told others I was going to become a teacher those people would typically say,"wow you must be so patient", "That is going to be fun because you get to play with kids all day", or "Wow that must be an easy major because you basically relearn everything you learned in elementary school".

Granted the first is true, but the last statement is partially true. The middle statement isn't even close to being true. I do have to be patient because I am working with 30 other students who all need my attention at the same time. I love this quote. It says, "If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance,  had to treat  them all with professional excellence  for nine months, then he might have some conception of  the classroom teacher's job." -Donald D. Quinn
Now think about to the teacher at the beginning, did you play all day with him/her? Probably not! Though it is true children learn best through play it doesn't mean a teacher is just playing with the students all day. Moments of play will for sure have an aspect of learning. The last statement is partially true. I do learn things I have learned in elementary school,but I don't learn it like a student, I learn it like a teacher. I have to learn the ins and outs of something and be able to explain that concept at least 3 different ways, more if possible.

Teaching isn't just going to a school presenting a lesson(s), playing with children, then going home and grading papers.  If that was the case then yes of course it would be easy, but it isn't. Teaching is about making concepts, skills, and relationships last a lifetime. Teaching is about inspiring the children to be the best they can be when the world tells them differently.

Here is just a  small list of what teachers need to do:
-actor/actress
-artist
-singers
-be organized
-plan everything!!!!
-teach all 4 learning styles
-be mentors
-Customer service reps.( talking with parents in the best way possible)
- think on their feet change at the drop of a hat
-supervise
-Feedback
-Be positive at all times
-Provide supplies

That is just a short list of just some of the things that teachers do. I know this may look like I am ranting about how bad it is to be a teacher, but I wouldn't want to trade it for anything. I love that I will be a teacher soon and if someone want to put me down about doing it then fine. I have accepted the second greatest calling in the world next to be being parents and I know that doing anything else wouldn't make me happy.

So the next time you encounter someone who is becoming a teacher think twice about what you say to them. You truly don't understand all the work they do behind the scenes when no one is looking.

I am excited to become a teacher this year and I am going to continue to love my profession and ....
Love Life <3