To my future students:

Since my childhood I have always wanted to be a teacher. I remember being in

elementary school admiring the arrangement of our classrooms, mesmerized by the

neatly organized and brightly colored posters and supplies, how terribly I wanted to use

my teacher’s blue fun-tack to hang calendars, schedules, and posters, begging my

mother to buy me a ridiculous number of folders and notebooks in the brightest colors

possible so I could color coordinate each with a matching binder. The rush of

excitement that propels through me when I shop for school supplies has not diminished

from that same rush I experienced as a child walking into Staples. I will never forget

when my dad bought me an old fashioned overhead projector from eBay for my

birthday. Eventually, I transformed my basement into my own classroom and got lost in

all my teaching fantasies.

When asked what or who inspired me to be a teacher, I immediately remember

my third grade teacher Mrs. Downes. But she was not just my teacher, she was not just

an ordinary woman who stood in front of a chalkboard lecturing everyday- Mrs. Downes

was and still is the most influential educator I have ever been blessed to learn from and

keep in touch with as a mentor in all my years as a student. Not only did she leave me

with an unforgettable impression of her as a teacher but she also holds a very special

place in my heart. Every student can name a teacher who’s techniques did not work for

you, generating feelings of discouragement and frustration, but it was thanks to cases

like those that enabled me to allow Mrs. Downes, and all of her incredible wisdom, to

stand by my side inspiring me to ask questions without feeling embarrassed, to set

challenging goals for myself, to never let the fear of failure hinder my courage to try or
strive for success. I have learned that these are sentiments a great teacher will

encourage students to embody, and will be the convictions that I’ll advocate for as a

teacher. Mrs. Downes’ gentle temperament stands out in my mind. She was

remarkably skilled in her ability to explain subject matter, to maintain patience, her

willingness to always make students feel heard and readiness to help struggling

students without making them feel foolish. She used humor and engaging activities to

demonstrate and motivate her students. I want to follow her examples while

incorporating my own styles of teaching as they continue to evolve with experience.

Mrs. Downes taught us that each student has unique learning habits and she effectively

communicated with every individual student by learning which methods worked for

them, I will generate a similar safe environment where students will learn comfortably,

increasing self esteem and confidence in their abilities. I want to be a teacher because I

want to help children see how smart they are and to never underestimate themselves.

Increasing a child’s self esteem is an accomplishment I would never forget, especially in

the world children live in today with social media and bullies becoming more and more

vicious. As a teacher, I will have the opportunity to teach, to instill knowledge, morals,

and values, and use what I learned from Mrs. Downes in my attempts to show students

that learning is something to be excited about. A chance to play a role in assisting

children to learn, develop, reach their fullest potential, and to become their very best self

would be a privilege that I find rewarding and most of all, fulfilling. I hope one day I will

be the unforgettable teacher who impacted a student’s life through inspiration and

encouragement. As I endure on this journey I want to and am determined to learn every

skill that constitutes a great teacher.