When I Grow Up I Wanna Be…

a teacher.  Yea, I know it’s a little different than the song but it’s the truth! At Meredith, You do not start taking your education classes until your sophomore year.  So this year I have taken Foundation of Education and am currently taking Educational Psychology.  Last semester, my field experience was with a middle school, English as a second language classroom which was interesting but not quite what I want to do.  This semester; however, I am in two high school English classes which gives me experience in exactly what I want to do! I observe every Tuesday morning and then I work with a student on Thursday afternoons.  Observing is pretty interesting but I love getting to work with my student.  She is a really sweet and really smart ninth grade girl who just has a little trouble with grammar, which is perfect for me since I am taking Advanced Grammar this semester! Education can be frustrating.  The process to get admitted is long and sometimes tedious, tutoring can sometimes be a hassle, and I have had an exam and a presentation this week for my class but the satisfaction of watching a girl who didn’t know what a clause was understand why that sentence is a fragment makes it all worth it! It is so great getting involved with my field early on and learning the ups and downs of school systems and education in general.  I love that you start your experience as soon as you start taking classes in the field so that you can get a sense and a feel for what you are preparing for and is it really worth it to you! Don’t get me wrong, I love the English department as well and my English classes have been my favorite classes here at Meredith but the experience from the education department has been priceless!  Now you are probably thinking, “Who would want to be a teacher with the economy the way it is?” and you would not be alone; my parents frequently ask me the same question.  Teaching is not about the pay check or even the satisfaction of a student learning, because you won’t always have a student who finally gets it, but teaching a child more than just academics; it’s about teaching that student to be ready for life after high school, no matter what that may mean to them.  I have found what I am passionate about and have been lucky enough to pair teaching with something I love like English.  I sincerely hope that you get that lucky, as well; and hey! why not check out being a teacher?! I bet it won’t let you down.