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Why I Decided to Become a Teacher

I decided to become a teacher to make a difference in the lives of children. Helping people learn

and understand topics has always been a passion of mine. I have a brother with behavioral and learning

disabilities. Watching him struggle through kindergarten opened my eyes to issues some kids face daily.

I became my brothers homework helper, working on reading, spelling, and math with him. He struggled

to grasp the topics taught to him over the past weeks. After reexplaining the topics and going step by

step through the process to get the correct answer each day, I could see progress. Though I was only a

small part of my brothers academic achievements, I knew I improved his chances of succeeding. In

helping with his success, I realized becoming a teacher would be the right job.

During high school, I helped in a second-grade class and a special education classroom. In the

second-grade class, I was a math tutor. I would sit beside children who had questions about the

concepts taught earlier that day, and I would work one on one helping them understand the math

problems or mathematical process they needed to complete the assignment. One student could not

seem to pay attention while the teacher talked; I retaught the lesson at a desk in the hallway, so he

would have little to no distractions. Then we would go step by step through the homework assignment

until he caught on and could complete the math problems without assistance. A different student

seemed extremely gifted in math. However, since math came easily to her, she refused to take part in

the lesson activities because she was bored. She chose to draw and distract other students while the

teacher taught. I sat beside her in the classroom or out in the hallway to try and keep her on track.

When I was there, she would work on the assignment while the other students learned how to do it.

After helping those two children, I discovered I enjoyed working with students who struggle in the

general education class which led me to consider special education as an occupation.

In the special education room, there were five children who came during their reading time. Out

of the five children, two were at a more advanced level. The special education teacher put me in charge
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of teaching those two, a boy and girl both in third grade, the lesson plan for that day which included

spelling words, reading a section in their reading book, and completing a corresponding worksheet. As

the year went on I found coming to the elementary school was my favorite part of the day. I loved

teaching the two students every morning, and they seemed to enjoy having me as a teacher. About two

months after I started teaching them, the young boy had a change in his Individual Education Plan (IEP)

allowing him to stay in the general education class for reading time. I was so proud of his

accomplishment. His success and the girls continued improvement allowed me to see that special

education is the right place for me.

Teaching special education will have its ups and downs. I will love to work with children who

have special needs whether that be a learning disability or a more severe disability. I will have the

opportunity to observe my students overcome some of their mental and/or physical obstacles to learn

and surpass their goals. There is a sense of satisfaction and delight in helping students master skills they

will need for the rest of their lives. However, it will stand as a challenge if the student cant meet the

basic requirements to pass his or her grade level leading to retention. Another challenge could come

from the parents refusing special education services because it will remain difficult to accept that I

cannot help the child in the way he or she needs. At the end of the year, it will be sad to see the

students leave my classroom; although, next year I get to form new bonds and assist others in their

learning.

Effective teacher behaviors can make all students feel like they have a positive relationship with

their teacher. I will relate to my students in multiple ways. By showing interest in their lives and

advocating for them, I can find out what interests them and what they think of school. Then, I can find

ways to incorporate that into my lesson and work on improving what they struggle with. Offering help

when the students feel behind and becoming their cheerleader can show that I will never give up on

them.
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I plan to use a variety of instructional methods and tools. Examples include class discussions,

oral question and answer, small group discussions, repots, textbook and reading assignments, outlines,

vocab lists, journals, maps, puzzles, flash cards, charts, games, field trips, drama, workbooks, reading

aloud, and brainstorming sessions. I plan to stay up-to-date on new government regulations as well as

new and innovative techniques to teach or help students learn. I will do this by attending education

workshops, reading relevant journals and articles, and talking regularly with a mentor.

I believe I will model constructivism and humanism in my classrooms organization, learning

focus, assessments, management, and discipline. I will organize the students in comfortable spaces

where they can easily share ideas with their work displayed everywhere. Diverse learning materials and

activities will remain available. Problem-based learning will allow students the ability to develop

individual understandings. I will encourage discussion of different points of view and learning through

questions. My students will have the ability to discuss concerns and content that interests them in the

classroom. Each student will have individualized content created to meet their diverse needs. I will

emphasize critical thinking; thus, students will learn to question their understandings along with

listening and understanding the personal meaning of others. For assessments, students will be

compared with themselves and a set of expectations based on individual needs and differences. Conflict

Resolution will exist as the discipline model in my classroom because it teaches students how to

recognize and solve problems constructively. The students will develop our discipline rules through

discussion and debate, and I will require them to provide the reasoning that underlies their argument.

These philosophical models exist to benefit the students.

Many factors and experiences in my life led me to the teaching profession. Effective teaching

methods and a variety of instructional methods and tools will help me foster a nurturing environment

where students can feel safe learning. Moreover, my philosophy of education will help me create my

classroom model. I know teaching will not always be easy, but it will be rewarding.