"Don't Become a Teacher"

 

    Ever since I was in elementary school, I even remember the exact moment, I wanted to become a teacher. In elementary school, I told everyone, and everyone responded saying "that's great! That's amazing!" etc. But, this is the time where any career that a child wants to be is "great" or "amazing", my goal could have been a professional singer like most other kids, and it would still be "great" and "amazing". But then came my later years of high school. I continued my want and my drive to become a teacher. I told people, but the attitudes about this idea changed. "You want to be a teacher?  Why? You will never find a job! You should probably look into something else. That is not the best idea." I even received those  kinds of comments from the people closest to me. So, as a developing personality, trying to find who I am, and being easily influenced, I decided, maybe teaching is not for me. 

     So I graduate high school, and decided I will become a physical therapist. Everyone said that the medical field makes good money, and there are always jobs. So, I followed in everyone's foot steps. But, I absolutely HATED it. The amount of science, and everything about it was not for me.  So, the next year I switched to speech language pathology. I can work in a school like I always wanted, I can help children like I always wanted, it would be great! This is totally for me! I did not like this major at all either. Not only was it not for me, but grad school is super stressful with a little to no chance of getting in without a 4.0 gpa. But, the school that I went to certainly did not help me mentally with this new information. My advisor said I would not make it, and even the head of the graduate department said, and I kid you not "If you don't pass your pre reqs with a 4.0, you should just drop out and become a teacher". It was then, that I realized I needed to be a teacher.

     I left my old, and horrible school. I came home. I began my teaching pursuit in full force. I had never felt so encouraged to do anything in my life, until i received that one comment. Mind you it is not like I receive bad grades at all I hardly get grades lower than a B+. But one day I sat down and I really thought about the people who told me to not become a teacher. Then I thought, in order for these people to be where they were right now.... they needed teachers... didn't they? So, at one point in time, that same head of the graduate department had to go to school and learn from a teacher. What confused me the most is why and how teaching became this looked-down-upon career. Where people say "teaching is so easy" "people become a teacher because everything else is to difficult" "teaching is not a serious career". But I beg to differ. 

    If teaching was "so easy" would you be able to: buy small things for breakfast out of your pocket for the children who didn't have breakfast because they can't afford it? Would you be able to be a child's teacher, mentor, mom/dad, advisor, therapist, counselor, friend, positive role model, and listener? Would you be the greatest actor in the world (teachers are the best actors) and pretend like nothing is wrong? Would you be able to work a job that is thought of to be the typical 9am-5pm but is more like a 6am to 8pm, and doing work over the weekends. Would you be able to handle of the paper work that needs to go through, spotting behaviors, measuring behaviors, creating IEPs. Would you be able to meet with faculty almost every day, and make sure your lesson plans are turned in. Would you be able to deal with parents, trying to meet all their wants and needs. Would you be able to deal with the parents that are not even there. Would you be able to deal with the parents that are in denial. Would you be able to handle the stress of being a new teacher for the first few years, being observed, watched, and not always directly sometimes hidden observations. Would you be able to be a role model?

    I have dealt with so much stigma about teaching for years, and I am only going for my certification. I am not a full on teacher yet. But to that same person who was in charge of the graduate program, Did a teacher hug you when you were sad? Did a teacher listen to your feelings? Before anyone goes "oh... you are going to be a teacher" Did a teacher make a huge impact in your life? Being a teacher is this huge umbrella term. But what is disturbing, is that those same people who say "don't be a teacher" have most likely been influenced by a teacher in their own life time. This is a stigma that needs to change. It is one that is hypocritical and flawed. Appreciate those who teach you. Appreciate your teachers. Never look down on the teaching career.