Why I Want To Be A Teacher

Bitterman 1

Elizabeth Bitterman

Dr. Tim Fiegen

EDFN 338
3 December 2014
Why I Want to Be a Teacher
When I think of teachers, I think of someone who has the potential to change the world. I
like to refer to the quote by Nelson Mandela, “education is the most powerful weapon which you
can use to change the world”. This quote sums up just how important teachers are. With their
knowledge and skills, they have the opportunity to teach students who may one day bring about
positive change in the world. Teachers also have the chance to have a meaningful effect on the
lives of many children and that is a major reason I want to become a teacher. I have several
reasons for wanting to become a teacher, I will find aspects of the profession that I will enjoy
and others that I may not, and will implement different teaching methods that I see useful.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to become a teacher, but it wasn’t until
about five years that I really realized why. There are several factors that influenced my decision
to become a teacher. My main reason is to be a positive role model in young children’s lives. In
my home church I taught Sunday school to the preschool through first grades. Being able to
teach them and knowing they were learning from me was one of the greatest feelings. The
students I taught would look up to me and enjoyed playing with and talking to me. This is what I
feel teaching is all about, the relationship with students. Another reason that I wanted to become
a teacher is the fact that I want to raise a family one day. Teachers’ schedules line up nicely with
their kids’ and that would make it easier for me to raise a family someday. The flexible schedule
of a teacher will give me the opportunity to spend maximum time with my future family.
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Those reasons led me to the decision to become a teacher, but I have had some great
teacher role models in my life that have inspired my decision as well. I have two aunts who are
teachers and they have influenced me quite a bit. When they tell stories of their time at school
and about working with students, I can easily see the gratification they get when they are able to
make a difference in a child’s life. Another person who influenced me was my first grade
teacher, Mrs. Hubner. Mrs. Hubner made learning exciting and had many fun activities for us
throughout the year. When I think of what kind of teacher I want to be, I always think back to her
and want to teach like she did, with so much enthusiasm. Of course, that enthusiasm is
sometimes hard to maintain and I know there will be aspects that I am not so excited about when
it comes to teaching. A big part of being a teacher is all the extra planning that occurs in the first
few years. There will be a lot of work involved and it will most likely cause me some stress, but
once I develop a routine, things will become easier. Another part of the profession I will dislike
is dealing with difficult students. I know they will test my patience, but I will just remember that
these students need me as much or more than other students. I will certainly enjoy many aspects
of being a teacher as well. The part of teaching I am most looking forward to is being a role
model to the students. I believe being a positive influence in students’ lives will lead them to be
better people themselves. I will also enjoy the chance to be creative. I think I will definitely
enjoy making decorations for my classroom and planning projects for my students the most.
When I am a teacher, I will most likely stick to an old-fashioned way of teaching but also
plan to incorporate new technology. I will use a hands on approach because that is a way I’ve
seen work very well with most students. An example I would implement is utilizing blocks or
other objects to teach adding and subtracting. In order to teach effectively, I believe it is
important to relate with students. I intend to relate to my students by having an open relationship
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with them and talking to them about life and its issues. To keep motivated and enthusiastic about
teaching, I will try to change up my projects and find new ideas as often as possible. If I discover
new or better ways to teach, I will stay positive and the students will learn better as well. The
philosophy that I model the most is essentialism. This is a teacher-centered method where the
teacher is a person of high knowledge and skill and transmits this knowledge to students. This is
how I see myself, as a vessel of knowledge, and that will be reflected in the way I will teach.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to become a teacher. The main reason is to
be a positive role model to students. I want to have personal relationships with my students and
be there for them, as I believe this is important to their learning. My aunts and my first grade
teacher have influenced me the most in my decision to become a teacher myself. As a teacher, I
will enjoy the flexibility of hours, the opportunity to relate to students, and the ability to be
creative with projects the most. There will also be aspects of the career I know I will not enjoy,
like dealing with difficult students and the constant planning and work that goes with being a
new teacher. My teaching style will be closest to that of essentialism, a teacher-centered style. I
will teach with lots of hand-on activities and projects. I will also be open to talking with students
about issues and relate to them on a personal level. All in all I see teachers as an essential part of
life because of their ability to change the world one child at a time and I know that is exactly
what I want to be.

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Bitterman 1

Dr. Tim Fiegen

Why I Want to Be a Teacher

what I want to be.

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