Have you ever needed a person to feel safe around? Have you ever been through hard times where you really needed someone to just listen and comfort you? I’m excited to teach because I want to be that person. As soon as they come into my classroom, I want my students to know they are protected and loved.

I went through a lot when I was in primary school. My parents got divorced right before I started kindergarten, so everything was weird and different. I had a lot of trouble in my home life, and I felt like school was my safe space. I always had someone looking out for me, I always had food to eat, and I had teachers giving me extra food and clothes to take home. That was the spark I needed to make teaching my passion. Now that I’m older, I don’t have as much to worry about, but I do know what it was like, and I want to help provide for other students. I want to give back. As an educator, I will want all my students and those in other classes to know if they ever need anyone that I’ll be there and if they ever need extra sleep, food, clothes, ANYTHING — that I will help provide that.

It’s very important to make a positive impact on students, especially when they’re young. While it is important to stay involved even when they’ve made it to high school, it’s crucial to start young. When you’re young, your mind is so fragile. I think if you’ve grown up around bad things, you may be more likely to do bad things. It’s harder to break the habit when it’s the only thing you’ve known. I believe this because when I was younger, I wasn’t always a great person. I used to act out and be very aggressive. However, when I felt that teacher-student connection, everything changed. I was a lot nicer and more understanding. Now I am a senior who’s graduating with two degrees and my diploma! Without this education, I would have probably ended up in a very bad situation. Who knows if I would even be here?

I know from experience that teachers have a great impact on their students. Even simple things make a difference, like if a teacher compliments a student’s shirt or says they are proud of them. While for the teacher it may seem like a small gesture, for the kid it’s a major thing. One small act of kindness from a teacher can make a student’s entire day and even save them! I know those acts of kindness saved me.

When I have a class of my own, I will strive to make sure my students know they are smart, loved, and most of all wanted. I want them to know they belong at school and they all deserve an education. I will ensure they all know that if they ever need anything I will be there for them and will do the best that I can to help them succeed. Even when they do succeed and they move on up, I want them to know they can still come to me with any problem whether it’s home life, schoolwork, or just a need for comfort. I am excited to teach because I want to help students discover their potential and take the first step toward their own bright future.