Teachers Change Lives

     Many people in my life have asked the million-dollar question: Why do you want to become a teacher? Some people may have to stop and think about their answer, and some may answer this question in a variety of ways, but for me it is quite simple. I want to teach because teaching is a profession that has the greatest impact on youth of our society. Being a teacher means being somebody who is a mentor and role model to young adolescents. Interacting with students all day and everyday allows for great opportunity to inspire and to guide students to finding who they are and what they are passionate about.
      In my experience, my high school teachers were very influential, as they helped me to overcome challenges, showed me how to work harder than I ever have before, and guided me toward the realization that I wanted to become a teacher. My math teachers were my role models, and that motivated me to make good choices so I would never disappoint them. They were the people who truly believed in me, and encouraged me to follow my dreams of teaching math, even when other people around doubted me. They mentored me through some of my very first teaching experiences during high school. In my math courses they challenged me to apply concepts to real world problems and think in more depth on the material. Because of the math department at Lamoille Union High School, I have found my passion, and I am eternally grateful for their presence in my life.
       As a future educator I want to provide students with the same support that my high school's math department did for me. Links below are to some articles on the impact that teachers make. I find these articles inspiring and on my worst of days I will read them to remind me of my passion for teaching and the teachers who have been so influential in my life.

Teachers Change Lives
Why Teaching is the Most Important Profession
What Students Really Need to Hear