Extemely Loud and Incredibly Close or Why I Became a Teacher

A friend asked me why I wanted to become a principal last week.  She began to tell me all the awful things her principal has to do.  We then began to discuss why we became teachers.  This simple conversation has made me think all week.  Why do we become teachers?  Well, I think this list covers a few of our favorite reasons...
(Imagine David Letterman reading in a Top 10 Reasons I Became a Teacher voice)

10) the ringing bells, providing my life with regularity

9)  working 200 out of 365 days a year

8)  the luxury of scheduling major life projects during the summer

7)  SNOW DAYS!

6)  being able to ask the people who annoy me at work to sit down and be quiet

5)  my love of, enthusiasm for, and devotion to reading and writing

4)  the unrealistic idea of changing the world, one lesson, and possibly even one student, at a time

3)  the joys of small (and sometimes large) student successes

2) becoming smarter every day through preparation for and interaction with my students (if only I could teach them as much as I've learned because of them!)

1)  desiring that I leave a positive effect on the world by helping others become more competent, confident, healthier, and/or happier through our relationships

I have always wanted to be a teacher.  When I was 5 years old I went to school and came right home and began teaching my younger sister all that I learned.  She will tell you that I taught her to read when she was 4.  I practiced my art on my dolls, stuffed animals, and younger siblings.  I made up assignments, grades, and all kinds of games to teach them.  

I had some great teachers in school also.  Teachers who taught me phonics, math, social studies, and science.  Teachers who inspired me to do more than I thought I could, and some who bored me to death with their lectures.  But each one taught me something, whether it was how to teach and inspire or how not to teach, most made an impression.  I had teachers who cared for me and helped me during tough times.  I had a teacher who helped me enroll in college the first time.  I even had principals and counselors who took time to get to know me and encourage me to success.  

All this said, my first career wasn't teaching, it was retail management.  I worked for Target for 10 years and I loved it.  The thing was teaching was always a part of my job.  I trained cashiers, service desk, and sales floor employees.  As I promoted up with the company I always quickly moved to training others.  I trained other managers, traveled to new stores to train their employees, and recruited college graduates for the business college.  I was a teacher and didn't even know it.  I was very happy until I decided to start a family.  I didn't want to raise my children working nights and weekends and 60+ hours at Christmas.  I decided to stay home for a while.  

I enrolled my daughter in mother's day out and began to volunteer, then substitute, and then work there.  I finally decided I needed to go back to school and finish what I started so long ago.  I got my teaching degree and have been teaching for 13 years now.  I decided to go back to school this year to get a masters degree. I know that this is the next step for me.  I love teaching and hope that I can make a difference in the lives of even more students than I could as a teacher.  I know it is not an easy job, but neither is teaching.  I know there are challenges, but I am ready for it.

So why did I choose to become a teacher?  I didn't choose it,  it chose me.  It is my calling.  I am a teacher.

“So many people enter and leave your life! Hundreds of thousands of people! You have to keep the door open so they can come in! But it also means you have to let them go!” 
― Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close