Why Teach?

Recently, we've been asked to answer the question "Why Teach?"  This question can be answered in a number of ways.  Through our class readings, I've come across answers such as, "I've wanted to teach since I was a little kid," "Teaching has always been in my family, so I want to teach, too," and "I'm always working with kids, so I know I could relate to them as a teacher."  Let's be honest, teachers don't decide to teach for the money.  From what I've already known and what I've learned through the article, "Are you sick of highly-paid teachers?," teachers today make less than a third of what they should.  So, why teach? Although I've decided not to teach, there are plenty of reasons why the idea of teaching someday sits in the back of my mind.  For me, there is no better feeling in the world than to see a child look up at me and tell me with excitement that they understand something that I've taught them.  Although situations like this one haven't happened in the classroom, but in my own personal life, the feeling is still exactly the same.

While researching this question, I came across this picture of a quotation.  Brad Henry writes, "A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning."  In one sentence, Brad summarizes the best parts of teaching.  As educators, we want to inspire students to be creative, to find an interest in learning, and to succeed in whatever they do in their lives.  Knowing that I could be the reason why a child walks into a classroom excited to learn is a feeling that I believe makes teachers so special.  It sets them apart from any other professional.

Intro to me!

Hey everyone!

My name is Morgan and I'm a senior at Salem State University.  I'm studying English as a major and Educational Studies as a minor, and I'm only a few months from graduating!  Since my sophomore year at Peabody High School, English has been my favorite subject and finally after my first year of college, I made it my major. My passion throughout most of my college career has been to teach high school, and I've taken several Education courses at SSU, as well as observed many high school classrooms of different levels.  However, within the past year and a half, I've worked at the Peabody Institute Library and plan on going to the University of Rhode Island to get my Masters in Library Science instead of continuing with teaching.  Although I will not be in a classroom setting, I will still be able to teach children but in a different atmosphere.  At the library, I have the freedom to teach kids anything from how to do to crafts to how to navigate around Microsoft programs.  The best part about my job is that I still get a sense of fulfillment when it comes to teaching children and teens as teachers do in a classroom.  I can't wait to continue on with this career!