Teachers and teaching

When I was a kid, I wanted to become a cashier. I thought they get all the money we give when we buy stuff. Of course it didn't take long to realize it's not too cool a job to be a cashier.

When I was in grade 6, I wanted to become a teacher. I had the best teachers so I wanted to become like them.

When I got into high school, I got turned off with my student teachers so I lost interest in becoming a teacher. Don't get me wrong though. My teachers were good- but you see I attended high school in a state university where senior college students taking up Education are 'trained' to teach in the grade school and high school departments. Many times I get impatient with ineffective student teachers. Or overly strict ones. Or those who simply lack common sense. I'd get into 'diplomatic' arguments with them whenever I couldn't understand what they were explaining. Quite a few times in Physics class I kept 'arguing', not because I didn't understand but because I felt she's the one who's confused. We have books so it was pretty easy to sense if she was telling us the right stuff. I wanted our argument to become an 'AAAAH GETS!' moment for my other classmates. Until our real teacher (her supervisor) noticed I was asking too much. He intervened and ask what's up. So I explained my question and my answer to that question to my teacher. Bottom line: I was right, so he let our student teacher sit at the back of the room and took over the lesson and explained the problem the same way I explained it to him and my student teacher. EEEK, I'M SO MEAN! hahaha Until now I remember that scene. It's one of those times I was hungry for answers- not for myself but for the whole class. I wanted all of us to understand it, not just me.

Obviously I graduated high school NOT wanting to be a teacher. Actually, I still want to teach but I wasn't willing to take Education as a course. Based on my experience in high school, I've concluded that not everyone who finished Education can teach. And not all who didn't take up Education as a course cannot teach. I actually hope that in the future, people who pass a certain standard will be allowed to teach- regardless if they own an Education degree or not. With the poor standards of education and teachers right now ( no offense to teachers but let's face it, all the good ones are in private schools, top universities, or abroad), we really need help from those who can share knowledge.

It takes skills and passion to be a teacher. Students can feel passion. And passion is contagious. How would you like to wake up early in the morning to attend the most boring, monotone, bookish class evaaar? NOT NICE RIGHT? But you'd definitely want to get up for school if you're in for another exciting exchange of knowledge.

Today I find myself back to wanting to be a teacher. But that'd mean I'll be a student first. I've actually drafted my short-term plan for 2011. And yes, it includes going back to school. I just have to give it a shot to stop all the what-ifs on my mind.

Wish me luuuuck!