Teaching Chose Me

The question "How did you decide to become a teacher?" has always been difficult for me to answer. I never felt like I really made the decision, it was more like accepting a fate.

My mom was a teacher (so was my grandmother and my great grandmother).  She worked constantly. She stayed at school well beyond her contract time every night. She continued to work at home. She made everything into a learning experience. Her entire life revolved around school.

I didn't want to have a career where I had to work 24 hours a day. I knew teaching was demanding.

In high school I really enjoyed working on our school newspaper, so I decided I would be a journalist. (What made me think that would be less demanding, I have no idea.)

When it came time to register for my second semester of classes, I found that I was unable to make myself sign up for the next required journalism course. I was in a panic. I felt so lost. One night I was talking to my roommate about this problem. I said, 'what do you see me doing with my life?;'The first thing she said was,' I see you being a teacher.' Almost as soon as she said it my panic disappeared. I knew it was what I needed to do.

Did you choose teaching, or did teaching choose you?

Graphics Courtesy of My Cute Graphics