Why Teach

Why Teach

“I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they posses inside.” Whitney Houston. I believe this quote describes, fairly accurately, why I want to become a teacher. I want to become a teacher because I love being with children, I want to help children enjoy learning, and I want to continue learning myself. Children have always been a large part of my life.

“You can pay people to teach, but you cannot pay them to care.” Marva Collins. To me, a teacher needs to not only be certified to teach but also needs to want to teach. Wanting to teach can mean a variety of things. There are a few qualifications I would want a teacher to have before stepping into the workforce. A teacher should enjoy the children’s company. This includes getting to know the children and wanting to know what will best help them to learn successfully. A teacher should also care for a child. Meaning a teacher should care about what is best for the child and simply care what the child thinks and about what they have to say.

I have always loved being around children. When I was little I was always the one who would be the teacher when we played school. I have taken the fun I used to have even further and enjoy being with my two nephews as much as possible. They have taught me how to treat children and were the reason I decided to become a teacher, more specifically a special education teacher. My youngest nephew has especially inspired me. His battle with cerebral palsy has made me want to help children with disabilities in any way I can. This includes helping the children to learn.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” William Arthur Word. I think every teacher should plan their days according to this quote. I want to be able to teach the children to learn the best I can. I want to help them get ahead in life and let help what they learn to be clear to them. But, most of all, I want to inspire the children to learn. My sixth grade teacher made reading fun and interesting for me. Ever since then I have been reading any material I can get my hands on. I want to help other children to be the same way. I want them to look at leaning as fun, as an adventure and not as a chore. I think if I can make the material they have to learn exciting it will encourage them to learn more about the topic and about anything they may find interesting. I want to not only challenge the children’s minds but my own mind as well.

I think if a teacher dares to challenge a students mind it can help the student learn a lot more about themselves. By challenging their mind students can learn their strengths and weaknesses to a greater extent. I have always thought it was positive t know your own strengths and weaknesses. This way you know what you are able to explore and what it would be good to grow in.

“He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” Richard Henry Don. I think if a teacher wants her students to continue to learn and want to learn in the future they must continue to learn themselves. Teachers obviously have to keep learning. They need to keep activities on the curriculum up to date. Teachers also need to keep up with technology but I do not think that is where the learning should stop. I think teachers should be up to date on current events even current literature. The more information teachers know the more the are able to teacher their students. Having students know current issues will help them prepare to be involved members of society. Children need to know not only what the books teach them but also “street smarts”. The more teachers tell them about their experiences in life them more children can learn from them and hopefully not make the same mistakes. What teachers go through in life impacts what children understand.

“Teaching should be such that what is offered is perceived as a valuable gift and not as a hard duty.” Albert Einstein. The kind of teacher a person is makes a large impact on their students. The teacher can change what a student learns, what real life information a student knows, and how a teacher feels about themselves. I want to become a teacher because I love being with children, I want to help children enjoy learning, and I want to continue learning myself. Children are a large part of my life and I would love to be even more involved with them on a daily basis.

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Last Updated: 12.09.06