From the time a child enters elementary school they begin to think about their future and what they want to be. The most common careers that small children choose are doctors, policemen, firefighters, and teachers, but those ideas and dreams tend to change over time. Our experiences in life greatly affect the decisions we make for our future. When I think back to all of the days I spent in a school, I remember how those experiences greatly influenced my decision to pursue a teaching career. Becoming a teacher can be one of the most rewarding vocations because it will influence students and the future that stands before us.
Life Influences
I can remember my very first day of school at five years old going into kindergarten, I was nervous, scared, and angry but I did not keep that attitude for long. I absolutely loved going to school all throughout my elementary school years. My school was the best! Although I was not very confident in myself and my learning ability, I had some of the greatest teachers who tried their hardest at helping me succeed. Once I transitioned into middle school and high school my attitude about school and learning quickly went downhill. While my teachers were still great, it seemed that because there were so many students and not enough teachers, I did not receive the help that I so desperately needed. I started lying to my father, saying that I was sick just because I did not want to go to school. The teachers seemed to have a fixed mindset, where they believed that I would not grow as a student and that I did not want to help myself. Ultimately, that helped to influence my decision into becoming a teacher. I want to be that voice for students like myself and help them build their self-confidence.
Additionally, my current job as a custodian at the elementary school I went to as a child played a large part in my decision to become a teacher. Before I started the custodian position, I had several jobs that never felt right for me. Once I began working at the school, I remembered my past experiences there and felt like that is where I belonged. My current position allows me to connect with the students and I also get to sit in on some of their classes to learn with them. It has allowed me to show my bubbly personality and learn how to communicate with children. I knew in my heart that that is exactly where God wanted me to be, and because of that, I found my true vocation.
Learner and Future Teacher
As I previously stated, I have had both positive and negative experiences during my time as a learner. Those teachers who went above and beyond for each and every student showed me the kind of teacher that I want to be. While those teachers who contributed to my negative learning experiences showed me the kind of teacher I did not want to become. Both of those experiences allowed me to set goals for myself and how I want to interact with my future students. One of the goals I have for myself is to actually get to know my students. I want to be present in their life and maintain a good, trusting relationship with them. Far too many of my previous teachers only cared about teaching the curriculum and did not care about creating a relationship with me or my classmates. Another goal I have is to provide my students with the information and skills they will need to succeed. I want to be able to recognize the signs that a child is struggling and provide to them the extra tools and help for them to comprehend a concept. My overall goal as a future educator is to have a growth mindset.
Furthermore, an additional concept that is essential for prospective teachers to understand is that our learning preferences or profile will not always match our students. This is an example of how important differentiation is and how it will be needed in the classroom. Sousa (2018) states, “we have individual preferences for how we learn, such as whether we prefer to learn alone or in groups, or by listening, observing, or participating” (p. 19). With this understanding, a teacher will need to find a variety of ways to teach the information to all students so that they will have the ability to succeed.
