Why Teach?

I have always wanted to be a teacher...ALWAYS!  There wasn't a time in my life that I didn't dream of being a teacher...sounds funny, but it is true.  I love it when parents are dropping off their kids and look at you and say, "How can you do this all day?"  My normal response is "How couldn't I!" 

Yes, I'm a rare breed to say the least.  I look back at the advice I've gotten in my life from people I admire...people I inspired to be like...people who got me.  One of these people in my life was a professor in college...she is one of those rare people that you run across in life and are so thankful to have known them.  I'm not sure where she is now, but I would love to reconnect with her...maybe I'll see is she is on Facebook!  I'll never forget sitting in class the first day of Reading/Language Arts IDA's and she walked in...I've never seen her before.  She stood in front of us and said, "If you can sit here and honestly deep down in your heart say that you love ALL children, good behaviors or bad behaviors, then I'm glad you are here.  If not teaching isn't for you so don't waste either of our time, so please leave."  I sat there and was on the same page...I do have a soft spot in my heart for those kids that have a hard time..always have always will.

Basically I teach to make a difference, big or small, in a child's life.  All kids need to be given a chance to be the best they can be...they need to be guided (some more firmly then others), but they are looking for someone to help them.  I look at my own children and am so thankful for the teachers they have had.  I am so thankful for the teachers that have really impacted their lives.  I hope that I have impacted someone's life and that as they grow and develop into the person they were meant to become they will remember me in someway.

So...I wonder if my college professor knows how she impacted my life and in such an amazing way.  I want her to be proud of the person I became.  I want to say thank you for helping me to become the teacher that I am today, thank you for believing in me, trusting me, respecting me enough to go out of your way to help me.  You stood by my side when people were trying to destroy me...you believed in me! 

I would like to tell my 19 new munchkins....I believe in all of you!  We are getting ready to embark on a great year and I'm so looking forward to the adventure!