I think I've wanted to be a teacher from in the womb. Teaching is what I love to do and what makes me most happy, next to my husband and son. As a child I can remember playing pretend school in my room all the time. I even remember waking up in the summer and would begin playing school at 8:00 in the morning and play all the way to 3:00, as if it were my real job at 8 years old :).
The most challenging part of being a teacher today is how the idea of school has changed. It seems that the amount of disrespect children dish out is far more frequent as to when I was in school. There are things that are said and done by children today that never would have been said or done by a child when I was in school. It almost seems as if it is just accepted instead of an exception. I also feel the lack of family support makes my job difficult. It is less and less a shared relationship among parent/s and teacher.
The most rewarding part of my job is having the opportunity to make a difference in a child's life. I also enjoy the feeling of a child being a excited about learning. The children that educators deal with come from vast backgrounds and sometimes the only thing children now will always be constant in their lives is their teacher. I love that I can provide a sense of security in those children.
Ultimately, I love that I have a job that I truly enjoy doing day in and day out. With every bad day I know just around the corner will be a good day. I love that I can always get better in my practices and learn more every day. Children are my joy in life. Each and everyone is special in their own unique way.
