One of the main reasons I want to be a kindergarten / lower elementary teacher is because of the teachers I had at that age. They greatly impacted me and taught me many things in the short 9 months I spent with them each year. My teachers comforted and cared for me in my time of need. For some context, I am a very anxious person, having been diagnosed with both generalized and social anxiety. Also, when I was around 5 or 6, my parents divorced. (They are back together now, but that's beside the point). I didn't understand my emotions very well, and my teachers, instead of getting mad at me for my outbursts, would help me. If I came to school not wanting to do anything, they would show my kindness and cheer me up. Not only did they help me then, but they also showed me how important being a teacher is. They helped me understand that teaching is not all teachers do. They help, support, and love those kids five days a week for nine months. They greatly impacted my past and future. Most of all, they inspired me to be just like them.
Hey Riley! I really love what you said here. I also have been diagnosed with generalized and social anxiety, and it really took its toll on me when I was in elementary school. Everyday after the final bell would ring, I would burst into tears because of fear that my mom wouldn't be there to pick me up. Keep in mind, she has NEVER forgotten to pick me up, it was my anxiety talking. My teacher at the time was patient with me and she would walk me out to my mom's car everyday. If she knew she would have a sub one day, she would call my mom so she could help me prepare for the change. There were so many things that this teacher did for me that were above and beyond, I will never forget her. It truly is teachers like the ones we had, that show us the good in the world and make us want to help students like ourselves.
ReplyDeleteHey Riley!
ReplyDeleteI love the way that you emphasize the way teacher's can have such a positive and lifelong impact on their students. I also remember my kindergarten and pre-k teachers for their kindness and love as they helped me navigate big emotions as a child. I think they are also part of what inspire me to want to work specifically with the younger grades and I hope that I can have such a positive impact on my students the way yours did with you! I currently work at a preschool and try my best to be empathetic to my kiddos and help them navigate their emotions rather than be a harsh authoritarian figure.
Hi Riley, I enjoyed reading your blog post! I'm glad you had a great experience with your teachers. Having teachers like that is very important and such a great thing. Teachers are not only teaching us but its very important to have the love and passion to teach and be that light and safe place for every student, and that is such a great thing that you had amazing teachers like that. I definitely am majoring in elementary teaching as well and am very excited to be that teacher that my students one day say she impacted me and was there for me. Becoming a teacher is such an important career!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very beautiful story and blog post. As teachers we are in the business of social work and you story exceplifies the wonderful impact teachers can have on their students, I hope that we can all improve a child's life during our careers. Even if we just help one student to the degree that you where helped, we all will have had successful careers.
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