In deciding to go back to school to become an elementary education teacher I found myself realizing that my previous choice of career was unfulfilling and even less engaging. I have always loved being around children because I find it easy to identify with them, as well as, relate with them. My desire to work with children stems from the energy that they often unknowingly provide me. I find nothing more interesting and rewarding than to see the look on a child’s face when they discover something new. Teaching will afford me the opportunity to witness this phenomenon on a daily basis.

            Many of my past teachers have inspired me through the years. I have always found it easy to relate to my teachers through the years, and many times they gave me the proper encouragement and motivation to become a better student and person. My nieces and nephews have also positively influenced me, as four of them have entered school to this point. The moment that I knew I wanted to be a part of young children’s lives was when my oldest nephew came home from school with his reading packet and read me his story. To that point he had been working on sight words and could not read, but that day he read it so fluently and his excitement made me so proud. That was a great feeling for me and it was then that I wondered how it would feel to actually be responsible for such a life changing experience.

            The personality characteristics that leas me to believe I will become a successful teacher include my enthusiasm for providing children all the necessary tools to become successful in and outside of the classroom. Also, my ability to engage students in the lessons, which I create or enhance, provides students the motivation to want to learn. As a student myself I was average throughout the years and often underachieved until I became a graduate student. Couple with the fact that I now know the value of a good education, and the learning process that I had to overcome will allow me to empathize and be more understanding that students learn through a wide variety of mediums. I also have really good organizational skills, which will allow me to be effective in my time management and classroom management. 

            One of my five year goals is to be settled into a full time teaching position with a curriculum that is developed to the point where my students are more excited to come to school, than to leave for home. I want my students to feel like school is a safe, fun, and engaging place where they can ask questions and feel comfortable with learning as a method of empowerment. The long-term goal that I aspire to achieve someday is to become a role model and inspiration for future generations of students to want to lead more fulfilling and productive lives. I would love nothing more than to have one of my former students come back to visit me in my classroom and tell me that I made the difference which inspired them to become a teacher, or a doctor, or an architect.

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