model essay teacher

mrsstrickey
Sep 14, 2021

Teachers as Role Models

Updated: Nov 9, 2021

The Early Career Framework states that teachers must learn that... Teachers are key role models, who can influence the attitudes, values and behaviours of their pupils.

A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term role model is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who coined the phrase during his career. Merton hypothesized that individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires. An example being the way young fans will idolize and imitate professional athletes or entertainment artists.

True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would like to have, and those who have affected us in a way that makes us want to be better people. They help us to advocate for ourselves and take a leadership position on the issues that we believe in.

Role models show young people how to live with integrity, optimism, hope, determination, and compassion. They play an essential part in a child’s positive development.

Teachers are key role models, who can influence the attitudes, values and behaviours of their pupils. A positive role model serves as an example–inspiring children to live meaningful lives. Teachers are a constant presence in a child's life. They influence children as much as—if not even more than—parents do. Over the years, I've seen the tremendous impact teachers have had on their students. They're not just educators; they're role models who inspire and motivate children outside the classroom as much as they impart knowledge inside it.

Role models are people who influence others by serving as examples. They are often admired by the people who emulate them. Through their perceived personal qualities, behaviours, or achievements, they can inspire others to strive and develop without providing any direct instruction. Social scientists have shown that much of learning that occurs during childhood is acquired through observation and imitation. For most children, the most important role models are their parents and caregivers, who have a regular presence in their lives. After these, it is their teachers. Teachers follow students through each pivotal stage of development. At six to eight hours a day, five days a week, you as a teacher are poised to become one of the most influential people in your students’ life. After their parents, children will first learn from you, their primary school teacher. Then, as a middle school teacher, you will guide students through yet another important transition: adolescence. As children become young adults, learning throughout middle school and into high school, you will answer their questions, listen to their problems and teach them about this new phase of their lives. You not only watch your students grow you help them grow.

As a teacher, it is impossible to not model. Your students will see your example – positive or negative – as a pattern for the way life is to be lived.

According to David Streight, executive director of the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education and a nationally certified school psychologist, we know the following about good role models for children:

The way you act and the kind of model you offer your students constitutes one of the five well-researched practices proven to maximize the chances your students will grow up with good consciences and well-developed moral reasoning skills.

The right kind of modelling can influence how much empathy your students will end up feeling and showing in later life.

The chances of your students growing up to be altruistic – to be willing to act for the benefit of others, even when there are no tangible rewards involved – are better depending on the kinds of role models children grow up with.

Good role models can make lifelong impressions on children, regarding how to act in the difficult situations that they will inevitably face in life.

Role modelling is a powerful teaching tool for passing on the knowledge, skills, and values of the medical profession, but its net effect on the behaviour of students is often negative rather than positive

“ We must acknowledge . . . that the most important, indeed the only, thing we have to offer our students is ourselves. Everything else they can read in a book.” – D C Tosteson

Role models differ from mentors. Role models inspire and teach by example, often while they are doing other things. Mentors have an explicit relationship with a student over time, and they more often direct the student by asking questions and giving advice freely.

Ducharme (1993), Guilfoyle, Hamilton, Placier, and Pinnegar (1995), as well as Regenspan (2002), remind us of the complex dual role of teacher educators. Korthagen, Loughran, and Lunenberg (2005) elaborate on this when they say:

Teacher educators not only have the role of supporting student teachers’ learning about teaching, but in so doing, through their own teaching, model the role of the teacher. In this respect, the teacher education profession is unique, differing from, say, doctors who teach medicine. During their teaching, doctors do not serve as role models for the actual practice of the profession i.e., they do not treat their students. Teacher educators, conversely, whether intentionally or not, teach their students as well as teach about teaching

Being a positive role model requires effort, fore-thought, and self-control for most teachers. Because your students are watching you all the time, your actions, beliefs, and attitudes become integrated into your students’ way of being; therefore, it is very important that you be very intentional about what behaviours you model for your students.

Unfortunately for teachers, the saying “Do as I say, not as I do” simply does not work. Students can sniff out hypocrisy like a blood hound, and they gain the most from teachers who demonstrate consistency between their actions and their values by “walking the talk.”

Students respect adults who live by the rules they preach. Hypocrisy disillusions students and sends them looking for alternative role models to follow.

Model through your own actions. For example, consider how you:

handle stress and frustration

respond to problems

express anger and other emotions

treat other people

deal with competition, responsibilities, loss, mistakes

celebrate special occasions

take care of yourself (what you eat, how much you exercise, balance your commitments)

Your students are not only watching you carefully for clues about how to be; they are also listening to you. The way you speak, what you speak about, and the opinions you express will influence their values.

Consider how you speak to them.

Do you model respect of others through your words and tone of voice?

Do your words indicate respect for differences and tolerance toward all people or do they subtly support lack of acceptance for others different from yourself?

Do you “bully” your students with harsh words and threats when they misbehave, or do you respond with discipline based on respect for your students’ humanity?

Ask yourself what kind of people you want your students to become, and then consider what you can do to model the behaviours and attitudes that would reflect that kind of person. This is another way of saying that it is helpful for you to examine your own values.

For example, do you want your students to:

develop a strong work ethic?

have a generosity of spirit?

have courage?

stand up for their beliefs?

be kind and considerate?

be patient?

be diligent and persistent?

be assertive?

be a contributing member of society?

take good care of their bodies?

be open to new learning? To find pleasure in reading?

If you wish for these traits in your students, then do these things yourself!

You will be a larger influence in your students’ lives if you have a warm and nurturing relationship with them, and your students are more likely to emulate you if they feel close to you and supported by you.

Give them unconditional “love” in a safe environment that also provides consistent, firm, and flexible discipline so they know what is expected of them.

Listen to them without judgment when they are upset. Share your own feelings with them so they get to know you; share some of your choices and decision-making as examples to guide them.

Build a connection with them based on trust so they know they can count on you when they need you, and so that they learn to be trustworthy in return.

Nobody is perfect – neither you nor your students. That means that mistakes will be made. What is most important when mistakes are made is the way you handle the situation.

When you or your students or someone else makes an error:

are you unforgiving or accepting?

do you deal calmly with the situation to resolve it or do you berate the perpetrator?

do you get angry and look for someone to blame or do you assess what has gone wrong and consider what can be learned to avoid a repetition?

If you make a mistake by doing something that you later regret, you can use that as an opportunity to show your students how to handle errors in judgment by:

acknowledging the misstep.

accepting responsibility for your part in it.

apologizing to any hurt parties.

finding ways to make amends.

thinking about what you can do next time so you don’t repeat the error.

These steps are all part of a healthy process of reacting when you mess up. This is the same process you can use if you respond to your students in a way that you later regret.

And what do you do when your students make a mistake? You can:

let them know that mistakes are opportunities for learning and that nobody is perfect.

help them to go through the steps outlined.

have a forgiving and responsible attitude toward making mistakes.

There are no hard and fast rules to being a "good role model" but there are several articles available online for you to read which give some great tips.

Dr. Robyn J.A. Silverman has a fabulous article which details seven ways teachers can make a positive impact (read the full article here ). While there is some variation in every teacher’s definition of what it means to be a good person, the following 7 characteristics of a positive role model remain constant:

Model positive choice-making

Think out loud

Apologise and admit mistakes

Follow through

Show respect

Be well rounded

Demonstrate confidence in who you are

In her article, these seven characteristics are further explained and there is a lot you can take from it. @TeacherToolkit advocates a DECIPHER model in his article "8 Tips For Becoming A Teacher Role Model" which is another excellent read. Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD write about 5 qualities that matter as a role model in her article " What is a Role Model? Five Qualities that Matter to Youth ". Clarendon Learning also provide advice on how/why teachers ARE role models in their article and Dr Candice Singh writes Role Model: 4 Tips on How to Be The Best One in Your Students’ Lives .

The Early Career Framework

[Further reading recommendations are indicated with an asterisk.]

Aronson, J. (Ed.) (2002) Improving academic achievement: Impact of psychological factors on education. New York: Academic Press.

Bandura, A. (1986) Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Campbell Collaboration (2018) School-based interventions for reducing disciplinary school exclusion: A Systematic Review. Accessible from: https://campbellcollaboration.org/library/reducing-school-exclusion-school-based-interventions.html .

Chapman, R. L., Buckley, L., & Sheehan, M. (2013) School-Based Programs for Increasing Connectedness and Reducing Risk Behavior: A Systematic Review, 25(1), 95–114.

Chetty, R., Friedman, J. N., Rockoff, J. E. (2014)

Measuring the Impacts of Teachers II: Teacher Value-Added and Student Outcomes in Adulthood. American Economic Review, 104(9), 2633–2679. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.104.9.2633 .

*Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Sutton Trust-Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Accessible from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit [retrieved 10 October 2018].

Hanushek, E. (1992) The Trade-off between Child Quantity and Quality. Journal of Political Economy, 100(4), 859–887.

*Institute of Education Sciences (2008) Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom. Accessible from https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/4

Johnson, S., Buckingham, M., Morris, S., Suzuki, S., Weiner, M., Hershberg, R., B. Weiner, Hershberg, R., Fremont, E., Batanova, M., Aymong, C., Hunter, C., Bowers, E., Lerner, J., & Lerner, R. (2016) Adolescents’ Character Role Models: Exploring Who Young People Look Up to as Examples of How to Be a Good Person. Research in Human Development, 13(2), 126–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2016.1164552

Jussim, L. & Harber, K., (2005) Teacher Expectations and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies: Knowns and Unknowns, Resolved and Unresolved Controversies, Personality and Social Psychology Review 2005, Vol. 9, No. 2, 131–1557.

Lazowski, R. A., & Hulleman, C. S. (2016) Motivation Interventions in Education: A Meta-Analytic Review. Review of Educational Research, 86(2), 602–640. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315617832 .

Murdock-Perriera, L. A., & Sedlacek, Q. C. (2018) Questioning Pygmalion in the twenty-first century: the formation, transmission, and attributional influence of teacher expectancies. Social Psychology of Education, 21(3), 691–707. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-018-9439-9 .

*PISA (2015) PISA in Focus: Do teacher-student relations affect students’ well-being at school? Accessible from: https://doi.org/10.1787/22260919 .

Paice E, Heard S, Moss F. How important are role models in making good doctors? BMJ 2002;325:707-10. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

Rathmann K., Herke M., Hurrelmann K., Richter M. (2018) Perceived class climate and school-aged children's life satisfaction: The role of the learning environment in classrooms. PLoS ONE 13(2): e0189335. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189335 .

Ricer RE. Defining preceptor, mentor, and role model. Fam Med 1998;30:328. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

Rubie-Davies, C. M., Weinstein, R. S., Huang, F. L., Gregory, A., Cowan, P. A., & Cowan, C. P. (2014) Successive teacher expectation effects across the early school years. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 35(3), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.03.006 .

Slater, H., Davies, N. M., & Burgess, S. (2011) Do Teachers Matter? Measuring the Variation in Teacher Effectiveness in England. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.2011.00666.x .

Tsiplakides, I. & Keramida, A. (2010) The relationship between teacher expectations and student achievement in the teaching of English as a foreign language. English Language Teaching, 3(2), P22. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1081569.pdf .

Wubbels, T., Brekelmans, M., den Brok, P., Wijsman, L., Mainhard, T., & van Tartwijk, J. (2014) Teacher-student relationships and classroom management. In E. T. Emmer, E. Sabornie, C. Evertson, & C. Weinstein (Eds.). Handbook of classroom management: Research, practice, and contemporary issues (2nd ed., pp. 363–386). New York, NY: Routledge.

Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. J. (2007) The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 17(2–3), 191–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474410701413145

High Expectations (Standard 1 – Set
Teaching & Learning

To Teach Effective Writing, Model Effective Writing

I strive to teach my high school students the value of criticism, especially when it comes to improving their writing.

To do so, I model how criticism continues to help me become a better writer. Earlier this year, for example, I shared a draft of one of my education feature articles, which included detailed feedback from an editor at a prominent media company. I asked my classes for advice on how to address several edits, dealing with sources, transitions, terminology, and structure. A few days later, I directed my budding writers to the much-improved final draft. This easy but worthwhile activity helped more of my students feel comfortable receiving criticism, and not view it as an affront. As a result, they improved their writing by taking the time and care to consider and respond to reader insight.

I want my students to feel secure in the knowledge that nobody is beyond criticism (even their teacher), and that the bigger challenge is developing the good sense to acknowledge and successfully respond to feedback.

Along those lines, I also offer the suggestions below about teaching writing:

1. Writers are the Best Writing Teachers

To teach effective writing, we must be effective writers ourselves. We can't teach what we don't know, and when it comes to writing, it's important to continue honing our craft. If you haven't engaged in much formal writing since college, you will remain a less effective writing teacher. No matter what subject you teach, try starting a blog, writing articles, or developing short stories -- all terrific ways to engage the mind and keep your skills sharp. Reading is important, but reading alone isn't enough to strengthen your writing skills, or to make you a credible authority on the subject. I am not proposing that every teacher write online every day (though if you do, that’s excellent). But even if just once or twice a month, in some way, shape, or form, teachers should produce writing to be read by others. It's at least that important to practice what we preach.

2. The Value of Sharing

No matter what you teach, share your written work. I always share with my students and ask for their feedback -- even their criticism. In that respect, it's essential for students to recognize not only your skill, but also your interest and engagement in constantly refining a crucial life skill. For one lesson, I even share with students some of my high school, college, and graduate school essays, and they analyze what I improved upon over time. I'm excited about sharing my work, and that in turn helps to get my students excited about doing the same.

3. Write for Your Students

No matter what you teach, write in front of students. When I am teaching about formal introductory paragraphs, for instance, my history students think of a worthy historical question for me to tackle. With the projector on, I then write out the paragraph, sharing my thought process along the way. Students observe how I work and rework my prose, and how I place a premium on concision. They also critique my work, which in turn helps them not repeat similar mistakes. Admitting my weaknesses helps my students become less defensive about their own work, and in turn more open to criticism.

4. The Writing Workshop

Create workshop environments, with multiple stations focusing on different aspects of writing. In my history classroom, I appoint a student who's great at transitions to staff the "transitions" booth, and a student great at topic sentences to staff the "topic sentence" booth. Of their own volition, or at my suggestion, students visit whatever booth fits their needs. As far as instruction goes, this maximizes utility while freeing me to meet one-to-one with the neediest students.

5. Seeking Feedback

Urge students to share their work with each other and online. Few writers have ever improved by keeping their work to themselves. As the teacher, I know that my opinions carry significant weight. But the same is true of what others think, especially one's peers. In an increasingly flat world and a digital age, students must feel comfortable and confident about sharing their work for the whole world to see. To that end, teachers should help students produce appropriate, high-quality content.

6. Real-World Writing

Most importantly, teachers must do whatever they can to convey the importance and usefulness of writing more effectively. No matter what craft or profession students wish to pursue, I make it clear at every turn that knowing how to write well will play a significant role in their success. From science, math, engineering, law, history, and journalism to anything else one can think of, the ability to express oneself clearly in writing is absolutely essential. Next year, to help get that point across, I hope to invite various professionals to speak to my students about the role writing plays in their lives.

How do you teach effective writing? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Teacher — Teachers as Role Models: Shaping the Future with Inspiration

Teachers as Role Models: Shaping The Future with Inspiration

Categories: Teacher Teacher-Student Relationships

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Published: Sep 1, 2023

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Behavior and ethics, values and character development, dedication and impact.

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Writing Aloud: A Powerful Way to Model Writing

Wondering how to help students improve their writing skills and confidence? Model writing by writing aloud!

To be honest, when I began teaching, I had very little idea how to effectively teach writing. Today, I’m a lot more confident than I was ten years ago, but it’s still a learning process. Many teachers are in that same boat. Modeling is one of the most powerful ways we can help students improve their writing skills. But how?

In order to model writing, we have to go beyond checklists. Telling students what to do or writing a suggested process on the board doesn’t translate to them understanding or being able to apply the skills in their own writing. Two things generally keep us from modeling writing effectively:

Not knowing how
Lacking confidence in our own abilities

Later, we’ll cover some strategies that address problem #1. First, let’s explore #2.

How to Model Writing When You Feel Unsure

One of the most valuable lessons teachers can share with students is that we are always learning. If they think they have to strive for perfection, it can be overwhelming. There’s so much power in sharing moments of confusion, frustration, and growth with students.

Say, I don’t like this paragraph right now, but I’m not sure how to fix it. Does anyone have any ideas? Or, Let’s come back and revise this later. Even a simple, I don’t know, but we will figure it out together will suffice.

Very few people begin teaching writing and feel like it is second nature. We only improve through trial and error.

The first time I sat down to model writing with a group of Title I students, I had no expectations…or really any specific idea of what I was doing. I knew my freshmen disliked writing, and I was trying to change that. We read an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet , and each class re-wrote the ending to the play. It was a shared writing experience (although I didn’t know that’s what it was called at the time). Not only did the students enjoy it, but also they reveled in having an authentic audience when they performed for their peers.

Lacking confidence? Don’t! Model that vulnerability for students and show them how to overcome it. Have fun with modeling writing so that students do as well. Expect it to be messy; learning is! If it goes well, you’ll know what to do again. If it doesn’t, you’ll know what not to do next time.

So, let’s look at some specific approaches for how we can model writing with students to build confidence and skills.

Strategies for Writing Aloud

Writing aloud basically means you are doing the equivalent of a read aloud. As you write in front of students, explain what is going through your mind. Share your thinking, thereby making the writing process visible to students. There’s no one right way to write aloud, but I’ll share three of my favorites.

Shared Writing

With shared writing, you’re teaching students how to write by writing with them . This strategy is the one I use most often. For instance, when I teach argumentative research writing , I sprinkle shared writing in with every step. We brainstorm possible topics, discuss pros and cons of each, and select one together. With each paragraph, I model how to write each part. Students share ideas as a class, and I scribe them.

As we write, I think out loud and ask them questions. Do you think that we need a transition here? Let’s read what we have so far so that we can decide. I wonder if the reader might be confused about how these ideas are connected.

You can use a document camera, smart board, or white board to write or type. It doesn’t really matter as long as everyone can easily see the work.

The benefits of shared writing include allowing students to be part of the writing process without the frustration. Also, they get to hear how the teacher thinks as they write, and they are part of the writing process as it is modeled.

Think Aloud Modeling

When I want to focus on a specific skill, I do a think aloud. For instance, introductions can be tricky for students. So, I break them down into three parts A (ttention getter), B (ackground information), and C (laim). Instead of asking middle school and struggling high school students to write the entire paragraph at once, I do a think aloud with each step.

For example: How could I begin this essay about space exploration? I know I want to argue that we should be spending more money exploring outer space, but I also want people to be hooked at the beginning and keep reading. This attention getter also has to relate to my thesis, which is America needs to allocate more funds to the space program. I think I want to begin by getting them to understand the need. What if I set the stage by starting with a scenario?

The year is 2099. Planet Earth is running low on all natural resources. Maybe I should list a few examples here. What if people can’t picture what resources are limited? …

The benefit to thinking aloud is that it gives students a brief lesson on a skill they will practice immediately following that modeling session. Unlike shared writing, the teacher is both writing and contributing ideas. Afterward, it helps to have a reflective conversation to debrief with students.

Methods for modeling writing with middle and high school students. Use write alouds to increase students' skill level and confidence. #MiddleSchoolELA #WriteAlouds

Guided Writing

If you have a class where students span wide ranges with writing skills, guided writing can be helpful. With this approach, the teacher meets with a small group of students who has similar writing needs. In the middle or high school classroom, guided writing can help to differentiate for tiers of students. It usually follows whole class lessons.

For instance, maybe one group of students is struggling to see how thesis statements and topic sentences connect. Another group might need help developing strong supporting details. Still, a third and more advanced group might be ready to talk about embedding quotations.

To model writing, you can meet with each small group, provide a short think aloud for them regarding the strategy they are working on, and then listen to what they have written. Students can share with the whole group, or you can ask students to share one-on-one with you after your initial follow up mini lesson while the other students write or revise.

It is helpful to have a dry erase board, chalk board, or anchor chart paper to use for your mini lesson so that all of the students in the guided writing group can see what you are writing as you think aloud.

A Possible Order…

Start by frontloading. Give students a really solid example of the type of paragraph you are asking them to write. Don’t ask them what type of paragraph it is or even what genre. Ask them to tell you who the audience might be, what the author’s purpose is, where it would fit in an essay, and what is good and bad about it. Starting with an example and critical thinking gives students some prior knowledge to refer back to later.

Move into direct instruction. Conduct a whole class mini lesson on the type of writing you want students to complete. For instance, with argumentative writing, I have structured lessons for thesis statements , introduction paragraphs , body paragraphs , and conclusions .

Evaluate some examples. Provide examples for students to evaluate. I include both strong and weak so they get a better idea of what to do and what not to do.

Guide students through thinking. Conduct some think alouds and shared writing experiences. I chunk these lessons based on skills students need to demonstrate within different types of paragraphs.

Support growth with small groups. Follow whole-group shared writing experiences with small group interventions and enrichment opportunities. As students are in the midst of the messy writing process, there are always chances to see what skills they need help with and work with them in a smaller setting.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of which order or writing aloud approach you use, students are going to need your affirmation. Encourage them and compliment them as often as possible in order to build their confidence.

Sometimes when we say we model writing, we really aren’t making thinking transparent. While checklists and talking about good writing are helpful, nothing is better than allowing students a window inside the thinking of a more seasoned writer. Analyzing models can be beneficial as well, but the writer’s thinking process is absent from that approach.

Writing aloud is a practice that requires a certain classroom culture. You have to take time to establish expectations, acceptable behaviors, and a safe learning environment where all ideas are welcome. It doesn’t really work to model writing occasionally. It needs to be part of the classroom culture. Teach students the value of sharing writing experiences!

Modeling writing doesn’t have to be scary. Plus, it helps us to show students that writing takes work. It doesn’t always come easily, even for teachers. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable and rewarding!

RELATED RESOURCE:

Looking for a structured writing unit for middle and high school? This argumentative writing unit is complete with direct instruction, student practice opportunities, models, and more.

An engaging and relevant informative writing unit with a visual twist! The photo essay is great for middle and high school students. #InformativeWriting #MSELA #

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Teach.com / What Do Teachers Do? / Teachers Are Role Models

Teachers Are Role Models

A role model is a person who inspires and encourages us to strive for greatness, live to our fullest potential and see the best in ourselves. A role model is someone we admire and someone we aspire to be like. We learn through them, through their commitment to excellence and through their ability to make us realize our own personal growth. We look to them for advice and guidance.

A role model can be anybody: a parent, a sibling, a friend but some of our most influential and life-changing role models are teachers.

My Teacher, My Hero

When you think of the type of teacher you’d like to be, who comes to mind? The math teacher that helped you conquer fractions? The English teacher who wrote great comments on your stories? The teacher that helped you discover a new sport, hobby, talent–or maybe even nudged you down your current career path?

Interested in developing your skills as a teacher? Explore online education short courses designed to give you an in-depth understanding of various skills in teaching.

Those are the teachers we’re celebrating through our YouTube channel, My Teacher, My Hero . Together, we’re paying homage to the teachers that have played such an integral part in shaping our lives, and to their importance in shaping the next generation of educators.

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” — Marlene Canter, My Teacher My Hero

Teachers follow students through each pivotal stage of development. At six to eight hours a day, five days a week, you as a teacher are poised to become one of the most influential people in your students’ life. After their parents, children will first learn from you, their elementary school teacher . Then, as a middle school teacher , you will guide students through yet another important transition: adolescence. As children become young adults, learning throughout middle school and into high school , you will answer their questions, listen to their problems and teach them about this new phase of their lives. You not only watch your students grow you help them grow.

“We think of teacher-heroes that taught us the academics but we don’t often think of those teachers that taught us life’s lessons.” — Maria Wale, My Teacher My Hero

Much of what students learn from their greatest teachers is not detailed on a syllabus. Teachers who help us grow as people are responsible for imparting some of life’s most important lessons. During their initial school years, students encounter, perhaps for the first time, other children of the same age and begin to form some of their first friendships. As a teacher, you will show your students how to become independent and form their own relationships, you will carefully guide them and intervene when necessary. School is as much a place of social learning as academic learning, and this is true, not only in our early years of education, but all the way through college. Armed with a supportive and well-educated administration , there is no limit to the influence a teacher can have on one, or many, students’ lives. Though a teacher’s influence on the social sphere of school lessens as students mature, those early lessons still have an effect on how they will interact with others in the future.

Teachers are founts of experience. They have already been where their students are going, undergone what they will go through and are in a position to pass along lessons, not only regarding subject matter, but lessons on life.

Meet Great Teachers

Teach.com has been speaking with award-winning teachers from across the country to hear their stories and, hopefully, find out a bit about what it is exactly that makes them great. If you are currently a teacher or thinking about becoming a teacher, take a look at some of the Teacher Profiles below to learn a bit more about what can make a teacher great.

Valerie Kibler, High School English and Journalism
Lynne Kesselman, High School Computer Technology
Dr. David Lazerson, “Dr. Laz”, Special Education
Dr. Penny Ferguson, 11th grade English
Lisa Wells, Early Childhood Education
Genein Letford, Elementary School Music
Debra Rose Howell, 4th, 5th and 6th grade — Multiage Education
Susan Evans, Kindergarten

Feeling inspired? Take these next steps:

Click over to our YouTube Channel to watch the rest of our My Teacher My Hero series.
Then, upload your own video with the tag “MyTeacherMyHero” to share your story.

Have a teacher you’d like to talk about? Submit a video!

Here’s how: Take a video of yourself discussing your favorite teacher. You can use the below prompts to get your wheels turning.

1. Choose an example of how your teacher changed your way of thinking or acting.

Did your teacher encourage you to take risks? To overcome self-defeating thoughts or behavior? Did he or she help you speak up more in class, or have more patience with solving problems?

2. Tell us how these changes have influenced your life’s direction.

Did they help you uncover a unique talent, or steer you away from a dangerous life path? How did this change your eventual direction in life?

3. Share an interesting story.

Sometimes actions speak louder than words. And your story doesn’t have to be serious! A teacher’s impact often shines through the most.

And of course, remember to say thank you! Watch the rest of the My Teacher, My Hero series on YouTube.

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EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G6:M4:U3:L1

Analyze a Model Argument Essay

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Materials from previous lessons, new materials, closing & assessments, you are here:.

ELA 2019 Grade 6
ELA 2019 G6:M4
ELA 2019 G6:M4:U3

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

RI.6.1, RI.6.3, W.6.1, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9b

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

RI.6.10, W.6.10
I can analyze the structure of a model argument essay by applying my knowledge of the Painted Essay®. (W.6.1)
I can conduct a short research project, draw on several sources, and gather relevant information on my focus figure. (W.6.7, W.6.8)
Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (RI.6.1, W.6.1, W.6.10)
Work Time B: Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, W.6.1, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9b, W.6.10)
Prepare the Model Argument Essay: Introduction Chunks. Make copies, and cut the model essay introduction into the four chunks indicated. Ensure that there are enough chunks to make several complete introductions. Depending on the number of students in class, some students may need to pair up to ensure there are no extra introduction chunks that do not make a complete introduction. For longevity of the materials, laminate the chunks.
Reread the Paint an Essay lesson plan to refresh on the color-coding and the purpose of each choice of color.
Review the directions for the Meet the Match activity.
Gather red, blue, yellow, and green index cards.
Gather red, blue, yellow, and green colored pencils.
Review the student tasks and example answers to get familiar with what students will be required to do in the lesson (see Materials list).
Prepare copies of handouts for students, including entrance ticket (see Materials list).
Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Work Time A: Use a device to display the Painted Model Argument Essay.
Work Time B: Use a device for extended display to model best practices for researching online, and provide students with devices to conduct online research.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 6.I.B.6, 6.I.B.7, 6.I.B.8, 6.I.C.10, 6.I.C.11, 6.I.C.12, 6.II.A.1, 6.II.A.2, and 6.II.C.6.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

To support ELLs, this lesson is the first in a series of lessons that follows a pattern with which students are already familiar after their work in Modules 1–3. This lesson invites students to revisit the Painted Essay® structure, in which paragraphs and/or sentences are color-coded according to the function they serve in an essay. Representing text structure visually is especially supportive for ELLs, as it allows them to more clearly identify relationships across an essay’s ideas without the pressure of interpreting detailed verbal descriptions. In this lesson, students use the familiar Painted Essay® structure to break down and orient themselves to the conventions of the argument essay. In Module 3, students developed literary arguments based on a fiction text; although Module 4 arguments will be derived from nonfiction texts and independent research, and thus pose an added challenge, students’ familiarity with argument-related terms (e.g., claim , evidence , reasoning ) from Module 3 makes this challenge a manageable one. An optional Mini Language Dive, which invites students to analyze the main claim in the model essay, further supports students’ understanding of argument-essay structure.
ELLs may find it challenging to analyze the model argument essay in the allotted time. Remind students that much of the content of this essay should be familiar to them: the essay is about the remarkable accomplishments of Dorothy Vaughan, whom students read about in detail during Unit 2. Clarify that the goal of analyzing the model is not necessarily to understand every word, but instead to recognize the purpose of sentences and paragraphs and how they relate to one another. Also, students will have opportunities to examine different parts of the essay in more detail later in the unit.
Meet My Match Instructions (one for display; from Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 3, Work Time A)
Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time C)
Painted Essay® template (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Work Time A)
Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 14, Work Time B)
Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 14, Work Time B)
Independent reading journal (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)
Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference)
Painted Model Argument Essay (one for display)
Annotated Model Argument Essay (example for teacher reference)
Device to model online research (one for display)
Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (one per student)
Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲
Model Argument Essay: “Dorothy” (one per student)
Model Argument Evidence: Dorothy note-catcher (one per student)
Red, green, yellow, and blue index cards (see Teaching Notes)
Model Argument Essay: Introduction Chunks (see Teaching Notes)
Red, green, yellow, and blue colored pencils (one of each per student)
Device to conduct online research (one per student)
Homework Resources (for families) (one per student)

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Thursday, May 30, 2024

Future Educators

Helping America's Future Teachers

I Want to Become a Teacher Because | My Dream Job Essay

My dream is to become a teacher . If you have this dream, you’re not alone. Here’s a collection of short essays by aspiring teachers. Current and future education students were asked to describe their motivation; what inspires them to succeed at their teacher training studies.

In these 31 student essays, future educators answer the question “I want to become a teacher because …” or “I want to become a teacher to …”. The short student essays are grouped thematically, forming the top reasons to become a teacher.

1. Giving Brings Its Own Rewards

Helping people is the unifying theme as to why students are inspired and motivated to become teachers. Education is a field where you can help young people directly in a personal way; potentially changing their lives for the better. Teaching is more than just a job.

For a significant percentage of education students, the opportunity to be of service provides plenty of motivation to pursue a teaching career. In each Why I Want to Become a Teacher essay here, a future educator explains why teaching is an opportunity to do something meaningful and beneficial.

by Hanna Halliar

If I can make an impact in just one child’s life, I will be able to consider myself successful. That is my motivation. As a future educator, what else would it be?

Every day that is spent in class, the late nights at the library, the endless hours of studying are all just steps getting me closer to the goal. When I am still up at 1 a.m. struggling to keep my eyes open, but only half way through my 6 page paper I remember how excited I am to work with my own students one day.

To me, being a teacher is so much more than the typical response most people have towards education majors. “Oh, you’re going to be a teacher. You know how much you will make?” Yes, I’m aware that I will be making an average of $50,000 a year in Indiana.

To me being a teacher means that I get the opportunity to not only teach my students math, English, and science but to teach life lessons that will stick with them as well. It means walking into school every day being the reason my students look forward to coming to school. It means being surrounded by crafts, books, and music and not being stuck in an office. It means educating our future generation. And if somebody has to do it, it should be somebody who is passionate about it.

So what motivates me to study? It is so simple, it is the kids.

by Savannah Stamates

I lay awake at night and practice my first morning message to my first round of students whom I will not meet for more than a year.

I wonder if I will have hungry children, happy children, or broken children. I wonder if I will be good enough or strong enough to reach those most in need. I wonder if my students will trust me enough to tell me that they are hungry, happy, or scared.

I worry that I will not be strong enough to share their burden or provide a place for peace and learning. I worry that I will misread their actions or their words or miss them reaching out.

So I study, even when I am tired from working two jobs or sick of not being where I want to be. When my time comes to walk into that classroom, my worries and doubts will be silenced by the knowledge I have mastered and the dream I have finally achieved.

by Charity Latchman

Dreams for the future are subjective. They can be based on what we desire. But visionary dreams are not only for us. Imagine asking some of the greatest revolutionaries and pioneers about their dreams. They generally had others in mind. In the famous “I have a Dream” speech, Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr said “we” more than thirty times. Dreams are not for our benefit alone, but to encourage, inspire and benefit others.

Recently I graduated from California Baptist University with a degree in English literature. During my studies, I was cared for my disabled mother. She was a religious studies professor who inculcated me with a diligent and steadfast approach to schoolwork. Managing the role of caregiver with university studies was challenging. But the goal to become a teacher kept me going. Approaching graduation, my mother was diagnosed with throat cancer. She didn’t worry about herself as much as you might expect but kept pushing me to finish the final paper in the program.

With her encouragement, my faith, and a burning desire to teach English literature, I graduated. My motivation comes from wanting to help, to encourage, and to inspire others. Teaching is an act of giving that has its own rewards. Life’s trials bring ups and downs. But we must always strive to attain our dreams, especially when others are central to them.

by Katheryn England

As a high school senior, many people assume I’m prepared for college and know what I want to study after graduation. These assumptions cause me to experience moments of self-doubt. Then I re-evaluate what I want for myself, and what it is that keeps me working towards my dreams. Through the goals I’ve set for myself, I can maintain focus, move past my self-doubt and succeed. By focusing on my goals, I can make a difference in the world directly around me.

A goal I have in my life is to be an elementary teacher, also known as an early childhood teacher. As a teacher, I can share the knowledge I’ve gained to leave behind a better future for our world .

Last year, I had the opportunity to work alongside a previous elementary teacher and mentor of mine. I’d visit her classroom daily, and taught lessons alongside her or independently. Uniquely, they were the opening act in my high school’s original winter play. They read first-hand from our scripts and learned what happens behind the scenes. Showing a new part of the world to the youth of my community has motivated me to pursue my dreams.

Remembering this experience and the positive influence I had on those students helps me overcome self-doubt and stay focused on my goals. Thanks to the goals I’ve set for my life, I not only can find purpose for my efforts, but find the will to be confident in whatever choices I make.

by Emma Lillard-Geiser

I have always known that I would become two things: a mother and a teacher. What I didn’t know is that I would become the mother before the teacher. Having a child that depends on me is what fuels my desire to succeed in life. When I get frustrated with my studies I take a deep breath, look at my daughter, and know that I have reason to persevere. I know that one hour of studying will give me hours with my daughter as soon as I am done.

My mother is a teacher and growing up I cherished learning from her. She had knowledge that I admired and I quickly realized that I had to spend my whole life learning. I love to learn, to have that light go off in my head when it all just clicks.

I cannot wait to see that light in the eyes of my daughter and my future students. For every thing that I learn, is another thing I can teach someone else. It isn’t easy to study when you have a small child to take care of but I know that my education will provide me with the ability to take care of her for the rest of our lives.

2. Help Disadvantaged Students

Students are disadvantaged for many reasons, whether it’s because of a handicap, where they live, economic disadvantage or a language barrier.

Future educators may want to become teachers so they can make a difference in the lives of students who face extra learning challenges. This special interest often comes from the future teacher’s own experience, either personally or involving people they’ve known.

by Ian T Thomason

While attending the University of Minnesota-Mankato, I have aspirations of becoming a Special Education Teacher. Becoming a Special Education Teacher and helping students who have a need for extra help and students who are having troubles with everyday life are things that I dream of doing. I was in their shoes once and know how difficult it is to deal with everyday life and how nice it was have a teacher to talk to.

Becoming a Special Education Teacher is my ultimate goal and, when difficult times arise, I have to remind myself of the children out there who have it potentially worse than I. When I remember this, I also think back to all of the support that I had from my parents, family members, and teachers. I also know that there are lots of children who don’t have this type of support and, if I can be there for them, that would make my career choice all the more worth it.

My Special Education degree is something more than just a degree for me. It is a degree that allows me to help children improve their education. I realize that children are our future and that their minds are terrible things to waste. So, instead of wasting their minds, why not put our best foot forward to educate them? My dream is to help kids realize their full potential, promote education and a brighter future for every child.

by Katherine

Motivation allows you to persist through difficult circumstances. Mine comes from a desire to grow into an instructor who is able to make a difference to many children’s lives.

In elementary school, I actually was a special education student. I’ve had to work hard most days of my life to achieve anything. I could not have succeeded without the support of some absolutely amazing teachers. Now I desire to take on that supporting role for as many students as I can reach.

When a class or an assignment I don’t want to do come up, I think of what motivates me. And the motivation is children. Many students feel powerless about their education, just like I did. I could be a teacher who turns their education around, providing vital support and motivation to succeed at their studies. Ultimately, everyone motivates themselves by one way or another. My motivation comes from the pure desire to help future students.

by Robbie Watson

My road to graduate school has been a long one. I studied religion and culture in undergrad, interested in the material, yet not sure how I would apply it later. Yet I found places, got involved in community and international development, engaged with different cultures, and now feel I use my degree every day.

For over two years I worked alongside Congolese refugees in Rwanda, developing educational opportunities for youths who could not finish secondary school in the underfunded camps. It is these refugees, young and old, the students, the teachers, their passion and vision for a better future that has driven me to seek out more education for myself. I remember how they would pay from their families’ meager funds to attend classes led by volunteer teachers. When finances were against them, or time, or family obligations, or the dire depression of the camp life itself, or even government officials were against them, still those students attended, still those teachers taught.

It is their example of perseverance towards a goal against all odds that inspires me now. I think of them often, think of the friends they were, are still. And I think of how that passion is in me now, to better understand education so that I might better educate, and thus equip such downtrodden communities to work for transformation themselves. I work not only for myself, and am motivated by the potential in those students and educators, which is also in me, and in others like them.

by Natalie Pelayo

I’m a young Latino woman working towards the goal of earning a bachelor degree in bilingual education. On occasions, I feel a slowing in my motivation. But, every time it happens, I think about the goal and that pushes me to move forward.

Looking back to a middle school class I attended, there was a boy who never really participated. He sat in his hoodie, looking down to his desk. Only after trying to talk with him, I discovered he spoke with broken English and a thick Spanish accent. It seemed as if no-one in our class actually knew that he struggled to understand what was being taught because it was presented in English.

By his manner, it was apparent that he had already accepted a dismal fate. Past teachers may have been unable to communicate with him. Eventually, he’d become demoralized. Thinking about the disadvantages he had to endure provides ongoing motivation to study hard.

I aim to become a bilingual elementary school teacher to support young Spanish-speaking children. As a teacher, I’ll be able to show them that they can succeed. Children need not grow up thinking they’re incapable of learning due to a language barrier. I’ll keep working towards my goal to help ensure teaching is inclusive of all children, no matter their first language.

by Abigail Young

I am an American citizen, but my whole life I have lived in Cameroon, Africa. I have been blessed with an enormous amount of opportunities and a great education at a private international school.

Every day I have seen children and teenagers around me who do not get the same education or have the same possibilities of a “bright” future. I see schools that are forced to have three children share a small table, paper, and pens. I have seen a badly lit room with poor roofs and walls made from bricks. Even in my school there are numerous Cameroonians, my friends, and classmates that do not have the same chances at a higher level education, although they work just as hard.

When I study, I study hard because I do not want to let this chance and opportunity go to waste. I study because I have been undeservedly blessed to be able to go the United States for a high education with better chances at getting scholarship money. I study my hardest because it is my dream that I may come back and make a difference in countries like Africa with poor education systems . It should be a right for children to be able to learn like I have. Therefore, because of this mindset, I am driven to study not just out of thankfulness for my circumstances, but also in hope that I may be able to give other children a better chance, and a greater reason to study.

3. Helping Many People Is Achievable in Teaching

A powerful source of motivation for some education students is the potential to touch and positively impact the lives of many people. Education is a field of consequence and that’s a good reason for wanting to join the teaching profession.

Over the course of a long career, a classroom teacher may help shape the learning experience of hundreds or even thousands of students. In policy roles, educators can affect millions of people.

by Rachel Bayly

Through high school I worked as a teacher at a daycare. When I left for college I said goodbye to a lot of people, including my students. All summer I had woken up at five in the morning to go to work and wait for them to arrive and put a smile on my face. Those kids motivated me to keep waking up and working hard, and leaving them was not easy.

The thing that made that goodbye worth it, the reason that I keep pushing through this tying chapter of my life is that I am determined to improve early childhood education in the United States .

I want to be a positive force in the lives of as many children as I possibly can, and I plan on doing that by improving standards and policies for early childhood education and making it more affordable.

Every week I write in my planner, “I will make a difference” and one way that I will change the lives of children and families. On days that I find myself asking, “why am I here?” “why am I going into debt, paying to be stressed out all the time?” I think of my students. I read my “I will make a difference” statements.

I remember that some children out there are stuck in low quality child care centers, they will never reach their full potential, and they need help. I keep working hard everyday so that I can help those children.

by Megan Burns

My ultimate goal is to change the lives of people. Studying to be a teacher is hard. All of the classes that are required, all of the practicums, and all of the time spent just to become a teacher is stressful, but the thought of being able to help just one person changes everything.

It takes one person to be a light in someone’s life. It take one person to be a helping hand. It takes one person to change an unmotivated, broken life, and make it brand new. Qualified teachers are those people. We motivate students to do their best, we guide students to success when no one else will, and we are always available to listen. One teacher can change the lives of thousands of students. That is my motivation.

I know that after college, I will be a teacher, a guider, a counselor, and a friend to so many students. No matter how many bad days I have or how many times I want to quit, I just think of what is to come in the future. I can be that change this world needs, even if its in a small high school classroom. It just takes one person.

by Victoria Shoemkaer

My dream is to make a difference in the life of children.

To make them excited about learning.
To make it fun the way it used to be when they were younger.
To show them that someone cares about them and wants to see them succeed.
To show that they are much more that a test score or a number.
To believe in them so much, that I do not let them get discouraged from chasing their dreams.
To showing them that everyone fails and it’s your recovery that determines what happens next.
To sacrifice myself to gives them more opportunities for success.
To encourage students to succeed in and out of the classroom for the betterment of themselves and the community.
To inspire them to change the world, because they can.
To help them transform into caring and compassionate adults who are ready to conquer the word, but remember where they came from.
To teach them to do good in the world because anyone can accomplish doing well.

Most importantly, my dream is to make children feel like their voice is important and valued and that they are loved more than they know.

4. Lives Can Be Improved by Dedicated Instructors

Teaching a subject such as Math or English is the everyday task of a teacher. But our prospective teachers see a greater purpose in their training and career path.

The daily motivation to teach doesn’t come from the superficial advantages of a teaching career, such as great job security or extra vacation time. Here are stories by future educators who want to go beyond the curriculum and improve people’s lives all round.

by Savannah Luree Weverka

Teachers are the ones who ignited my love for learning and there is not a day that goes by when I do not challenge myself to a personal goal of lifelong learning.

My mother is a teacher, so I was a student educated in an institution filled with support and a home that also supported education. I recall many teacher “get-togethers” and Husker parties where an informal invitation led to my presence.

Due to all of this support and interaction received throughout my elementary and high school career, Elementary Education continues to be at the top of my career choices. And now, as a senior looking forward to graduating from high school, teachers remain my role models .

In considering a focus in Elementary Education, I now realize that many teachers not only teach children eight hours of the day, but become doctors for scraped knees, dictionaries for challenging words, mediators between students, and parents away from home.

Now, as I am taking the steps to make my dream come true I hope to make school an escape to free their minds and expand their knowledge. I want to share my love of learning with my students.

by Aaron Banta

Since I was younger, I have had the dream of becoming a history teacher at the high school level. The reason I am striving for this career is thanks to a teacher I had. They held such a passion for history and taught it so well that it made me want to keep learning everything I could about it.

In college, I have had to work multiple jobs and attend school full-time. I would wake up early in the morning and not get home until late at night. The one thing that kept me on top of my studying and work was the dream I have; to be able to teach history and express my love for it by teaching the next generation. I strive to impact their lives for the better just like mine was.

Being able to pass my courses and get a degree and teaching credentials is the first main goal I am striving for. But being able to have a positive impact on students I have will be an even greater goal that I want to accomplish. I am hoping to guide them through their study of my favorite subject so I can teach them about the world and help them just like my teacher had helped me.

by Chelsea Rogers

At USC Upstate, I am studying to be a Secondary Education Mathematics teacher. The math courses are not easy and the education courses pushes you to challenge yourself. The thought of being a future teacher is what motivates me to keep pushing.

Although I do not know any of my students, they are precious to me and I believe it is my job to change their lives for the better. Teaching math is my job, but looking beyond my content and into the wellbeing of my students is my passion.

The question I always ask myself is how can I teach students who may not trust me? I have to establish a connection with each student so that they will see I care about them academically, physically, and emotionally. Once students see that you care about them in these areas, it becomes easier to teach them and they are willing to perform to the best of their ability because they know their teacher supports them 100 percent. Being a great teacher is what motivates me to continue striving for my degree.

by Micayla Watroba

One plus one is two. Phone is pronounced with an F sound. 60 divided by 15 is 4. An essay typically has five paragraphs. I know all these things because I went to school. I also had teachers that helped me understand it even when I didn’t get the same opportunities as everyone else.

See, when I was in first grade I was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia. This made school very hard. I was either out of school so often that I missed entire chapters or I was bullied so badly that I couldn’t focus because I was so scared. Having cancer also made it hard for my mom and dad to pay for food and rent much less after school activities and tutoring. I grew up knowing that there were some things that were just not in reach for us.

For as bad as I had it, I can’t imagine having to live on the streets, going hungry, or even being taught in a language I don’t know.

My dream is to be the teacher that makes sure that every student gets an education that helps them succeed. I want to make sure that my students not only enjoy being at school but feel safe while there. My students will know that it doesn’t matter where they came from or what background they came from. I am going to be there and I will not leave them behind. This is my dream.

5. Promote Lifelong Learning in Young People

What inspires some people to become teachers is the power to set young people on the right education path. Helping children to have good early experiences and embrace the learning process can profoundly enhance someone’s life. The potential for transformative early development applies to handicapped and disadvantaged kids as much as anyone.

by Lesley Martinez-Silva

I aspire to make a difference in others’ lives through education. I’m studying to be an elementary school teacher because I believe that children can achieve so much more if they learn early of their potential.

Education has always been my priority. My parents always stressed the importance of obtaining an education, having missed that opportunity themselves. My parents taught me as a child that schooling was vital to success in life. Truly, that lesson has been the most important in my path to college. I don’t think I would’ve made it this far had I not taken my education seriously.

I want to teach others about the importance of education so they too can prosper. Everything I’m learning at university is important for my future career and, if I don’t study it, I’m failing my future students. Every child deserves the best education available and I should strive to be the best educator possible to provide that for them. When balancing academics, work, and my social life, it can get challenging to keep going. But, with the future of children’s education in my hands, I always get back on track.

by Brianna Rivers

One of my goals is to become a teacher and work in an public elementary school within the greater Boston area (possibly my own elementary school). I want to be a teacher because I enjoy working with children and I know how important teachers are in children’s lives. I plan on receiving my Bachelor’s degree for Early Childhood Education and my Master’s degree in Special Education.

I want to major in Early Childhood Education because early education is significant for children and is a building block for their future in learning . I also want to major in Special Education because I believe all children should receive equal learning opportunities as well as equal treatment (meaning an inclusive environment, etc).

I think all of my experiences have a positive impact on myself because I am learning more about what it takes to be a teacher and what it takes to be a good teacher. My experiences also have a positive impact on the children and adults I work with. I offer a helping hand to the teachers and a friendly face to the children.

I plan to continue to work hard and take advantage of learning opportunities to achieve both of my goals. Being a teacher is my desire and I will stop at nothing to be a great teacher one day.

by Jennamarie Moody

When I close my eyes, I picture myself in a school located in an urban setting, teaching a classroom of diverse yet alike students. These students are in the second grade, meaning that they are impressionable yet vulnerable to their environment whether this means at home, at school, or in their greater community.

Some of these students don’t speak English as their first language, and some come from low-income households that can limit their educational experiences outside of the classroom. And yet, no matter what differences these students bring to the table, their uniqueness flows throughout the classroom in such a positive energy that embraces, respects, and promotes learning. This is the goal I am working towards; the goal to inspire our youth to become self-advocates for their learning .

Opportunities for equal educational experiences may not exist, however the beauty lies in the growth of love young students can develop as they are challenged in the classroom to question their surroundings. I plan to make a difference in the lives of the children I meet along the way, and to create a safe learning environment.

Although the tests for certification and studies can be difficult, my passion for education and dedication to shaping the lives of my students is what keeps me going. The end goal is to nurture the development of my students to become active and engaged participants in society, and that is what I intend to do completely.

by Julie Anderson

My long-time goal has been to become a teacher, and this year I’m in a class called Teachers for Tomorrow, where I get to shadow a kindergarten teacher. Working with her and the students has increased my interest in children with special needs.

From here on out, I want to support my students in academics and other parts of their lives so I can help them learn, grow, and succeed. I know that children need a strong start to their school career because the first few years of school are crucial; this is when students begin to love or hate learning itself. Whether or not children enjoy school, they deserve to appreciate learning. Students who love learning will always want to improve themselves.

I will make an effort to provide a loving environment where each child can prosper. However, for students with special needs, this task becomes even harder to accomplish because traditional classrooms are usually set up for non-disabled students. While I know I can’t “save” every student I teach, and some of them will still hate learning, at least I can start them off right.

When I’m swamped with schoolwork, I will imagine my future students and how I could influence their lives. Even though not all of my college classes will relate to my major, forming a habit of working hard in college will help me to succeed as a future teacher.

6. Teachers Are Excellent Role Models

The experience of being helped and transformed by a good teacher leaves a lasting impression. Teaching is considered a noble profession for good reasons.

Some education students are motivated to become a teacher to emulate their own role models. They want to provide the same kind of service they once received. An added reason for pursuing a teaching career is to be a role model to younger people outside the classroom, including one’s own children.

by Teresa Pillifant

My first day – well, more like first semester- of my freshman year in high school was the hardest semester of my whole school career. Usually the kind of student who loves school, I found myself getting stomach aches in the morning and dreading school with my whole being. I was new to the school, and the number of students was overwhelming.

It seemed like there was no relief, except for my first hour Spanish class. Having no friends, I would always arrive at my first hour class early. As this pattern continued, my Spanish teacher and I developed a relationship. My teacher started giving me books to read, asking my opinion on what we should do in class and just talked to me in general about life. Through my teacher’s support, I grew to find my place in the school and became more confident.

Her kind words and actions inspired me to become a teacher myself. Now, whenever school or life gets difficult, I think of my freshmen year Spanish teacher and how she inspired me. I want to do what she did for me for my future students. Whether it be a difficult test or a challenging class, my goal of making a difference in a student’s life keeps me going.

by Mo Cabiles

The world we live in is hard, unsteady and ruthless. We see this everyday in the harshness of homelessness, to social media screaming for justice. What motivates me to continue on is that I have felt the bitter cold bite of homelessness. I know what it’s like to not have enough to eat and to be scared of what will happen next.

I am fortunate to no longer be in those situations but that, by no means, is an indicator that it will all now come easy. As an adult learner and your “non-traditional” student, there are other obstacles I must overcome. From transportation to childcare or education application mastery to APA formatting, the many roadblocks I tackle both large and small are what I consider to be my victories.

I’ve seen what having a higher education can do for someone and I want that for myself and that of my daughters. I strive to be a good example for them , to show them that, regardless of social standing and unforeseeable circumstances, if they work hard and put their best effort forward, they can achieve their dreams.

My dream is to obtain my Masters in Education with an emphasis in counseling. I want to be an academic advisor or guidance counselor. I’ve seen so many youths attempt community college and fail because they fell through the cracks. These students need to realize their potential and I want to help them achieve that and to be their cheerleader.

by Gia Sophia Sarris

In every school I’ve ever attended, experienced teachers were there to support and inspire me. I have looked up to these people ever since I was in elementary school, and they have had an immense and positive impact on my life and my view of the world. My fondness for these people [educators] has led me to aspire to become a teacher.

I want to “pay it forward” and improve the lives of children and teenagers who grow up struggling as I did, or in any way for that matter. I want to make a difference in their lives and let them know that they are not alone with their problems.

This is what motivates me to study hard. Becoming a teacher, I believe, will help me fulfill my purpose in life, which I think is to create happiness and ease the burdens of others. I feel that children and teenagers need this especially, because they are struggling to understand the world and their place in it. I study hard for their sake.

by Jennifer Wolfert

From elementary school to my first year at college, I struggled to establish a dream for myself. Trying to figure out what career I wanted to pursue as successful adult always filled me with anxiety. I had spent multiple years in special education and left with a low academic self-esteem. So, after high school I attended Bucks County Community College in search for more time. Still I made no progress. Then I decided to change my outlook. I stopped asking “what do I want to do?” and started asking “who do I want to be?”. That’s when my dream took shape.

The educators that I met during my time at community college were my inspiration. They are brilliant, hardworking people with a passion for their specialty that I had never seen before. Their belief in hard work was infectious. School began to fill me with excited anticipation and my grades improved. I started to believe that if I worked hard enough then I could be like them and inspire others like they had inspired me.

At the end of my second year attending community college, I accomplished a task that had previously racked me with fear. I applied to Temple University as a Secondary English Education major. I have now completed my second semester at Temple and earned my first 4.0 GPA. In time, I am confident that I will be able to accomplish my dream. I will become the passionate and inspiring educator that my younger self never had.

by Jenyfer Pegg

My entire life has been filled with discouragement. I grew up in a household where I was constantly told “No”. I was told my ideas were stupid and would not work. In my junior year of high school, my teachers and counselors started talking about college and sending in applications to different places. At that point, I knew I was not going. I came from a poor family and I knew we could never have money for something like college.

But I went on college visits, I listened to people speak about their college, and I was set. I had a lot of things pushing me, except the one thing I really wanted, my family. No one in my family has gone to college, and when I told my mother, she was shocked. She told me she just wanted me out of the house.

When I came to school, I realized I wanted to teach high school. I want to make an actual difference in someone else’s life. My family has taken the same road for years, and I’m not going down that road. I won’t live paycheck to paycheck like my mom, I will be a person that others will look up to.

I’m going to do something worthwhile, and I will work harder than anyone else if it gets me there. I’ve seen what my life will be like without school and motivation and there is absolutely no way I’m going down that road. I’ve got bigger plans.

7. Unlock the Success Potential of Students

Educators want to help students in every way they can but, for some future teachers, the focus is on helping students soar. That child in front of you in the classroom might grow up to do great things for society, raise a strong family, or just be happy and fulfilled.

Whatever the potential of a pupil, a teacher’s job is to help unlock talents and remove any barriers to future success.

by Tamara Vega

The thing that motivates me the most is the thought of having my own classroom someday. I want to be the teacher that changes a child’s life, inspires them to set high goals for themselves and encourages them to reach it.

College can be so hard at times and I get really anxious and scared. I worry about not passing my classes and exams, I worry about not getting my degree. Despite that I do not give up because I have to do this and I want to do this.

I cannot see myself doing anything else besides teaching, I have never been this passionate about something. I want to graduate and get my degree. I’d love to look at it and say, “I worked hard for this and I earned it”.

The idea that the students in my classroom could grow up to cure cancer, or become president, pretty much anything they want, brings me so much excitement. I want to be the teacher that they remember, the one who helped them realize their dream and who gave them the knowledge needed to reach it.

Be the teacher that I needed as a child but unfortunately never had. That is what gets me through all the stress and anxiety, I know in my heart that all the studying I’m doing right now will be worth it in the end.

by Nicole Gongora

The dream of success motivates me to study – not my success, my future students’ success. I push myself through the rough spots for them.

I was a lost child in high school; I didn’t know how to apply to college, let alone afford it. No child should have to experience that. As a future educator, I am committed to helping my students succeed, achieve more, and continue onto higher education. Every child should be given the opportunity to showcase their strengths and follow their dreams.

College was never a dream for me; it was a far off, unattainable fantasy. I met some inspiring teachers in high school who encouraged me to change my life and who helped me to thrive. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I plan to work at a low-income school similar to the one I attended. These types of schools are the ones who lack resources. I will serve as a resource to my students and I hope to be an inspiration to them. In turn, I hope they become kind, respectful adults. I want them to see the virtue in helping others and I hope they will serve others in their future careers. I want to be the teacher they remember. I want to be the teacher that helped them succeed.

I’ll feel successful as a teacher if my students are successful in attaining their goals. If one student decides to achieve more then I will have lived out my dream.

by Madison Sherrill

I’ve decided to become a teacher because I want to show the value of compassion and diversity.

As I begin college this upcoming fall, my main motivation is the students. While I haven’t even met them yet, they inspire me to persist in my classes and stay optimistic. My classroom will support innovative thinking and celebrate each student’s individuality.

As a classroom teacher, I want to encourage and positively influence the next generation. They should know that they can be successful and achieve what they aspire to become while making the world better. By teaching the value of inclusiveness and the power of kindness, my students may turn out to be visionary thinkers and leading members of society.

by Alicia Costin

I am returning to school after taking a few years off. After graduating from California Lutheran University with my BS in Mathematics, I wanted to land a job with benefits and begin my “adult life”.

While it took me a few months to find my current job, is it just that; a job. I have benefits, a full-time schedule, weekends and holidays off, but am I happy? Is this what I want to do as a career for the rest of my life? I have asked myself this question a few times and the answer is always the same; no.

My dream is to become a teacher and help motivate and encourage students to do their best in their studies and in life. It is my dream to do what I was meant to do; shape young minds and help future generations.

When things become difficult during my graduate program, I know to keep pushing, thriving, and studying hard so that, when I do become a teacher, I can use this as a positive story to shape their way of life. I landed a job outside of college, however now it is time for me to land my career.

Who taught the first teacher, what can i do with a master’s in education, why teaching is still a good career choice, how to become a homeschool teacher.

Essay on Teacher for Students and Children

500+ words essay on teacher.

Teachers are a special blessing from God to us. They are the ones who build a good nation and make the world a better place. A teacher teaches us the importance of a pen over that of a sword. They are much esteemed in society as they elevate the living standards of people. They are like the building blocks of society who educate people and make them better human beings .

Moreover, teachers have a great impact on society and their student’s life. They also great importance in a parent’s life as parents expect a lot from teachers for their kids. However, like in every profession, there are both good and bad teachers. While there aren’t that many bad teachers, still the number is significant. A good teacher possesses qualities which a bad teacher does not. After identifying the qualities of a good teacher we can work to improve the teaching scenario.

A Good Teacher

A good teacher is not that hard to find, but you must know where to look. The good teachers are well-prepared in advance for their education goals. They prepare their plan of action every day to ensure maximum productivity. Teachers have a lot of knowledge about everything, specifically in the subject they specialize in. A good teacher expands their knowledge continues to provide good answers to their students.

Similarly, a good teacher is like a friend that helps us in all our troubles. A good teacher creates their individual learning process which is unique and not mainstream. This makes the students learn the subject in a better manner. In other words, a good teacher ensures their students are learning efficiently and scoring good marks.

Most importantly, a good teacher is one who does not merely focus on our academic performance but our overall development. Only then can a student truly grow. Thus, good teachers will understand their student’s problems and try to deal with them correctly. They make the student feel like they always have someone to talk to if they can’t do it at home or with their friends.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Impact of Teachers on a Student’s Life

Growing up, our parents and teachers are the first ones to impact our lives significantly. In fact, in the younger years, students have complete faith in their teachers and they listen to their teachers more than their parents. This shows the significance and impact of a teacher .

When we become older and enter college, teachers become our friends. Some even become our role models. They inspire us to do great things in life. We learn how to be selfless by teachers. Teachers unknowingly also teach very important lessons to a student.

For instance, when a student gets hurt in school, the teacher rushes them to the infirmary for first aid. This makes a student feel secure and that they know a teacher plays the role of a parent in school.

In other words, a teacher does not merely stick to the role of a teacher. They adapt into various roles as and when the need arises. They become our friends when we are sad, they care for us like our parents when we are hurt. Thus, we see how great a teacher impacts a student’s life and shapes it.

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Teachers as Role Models

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I Want to Become a Teacher Because | My Dream Job Essay

1. Giving Brings Its Own Rewards

by Hanna Halliar

by Savannah Stamates

by Charity Latchman

by Katheryn England

by Emma Lillard-Geiser

2. Help Disadvantaged Students

by Ian T Thomason

by Katherine

by Robbie Watson

by Natalie Pelayo

by Abigail Young

3. Helping Many People Is Achievable in Teaching

by Rachel Bayly

by Megan Burns

by Victoria Shoemkaer

4. Lives Can Be Improved by Dedicated Instructors

by Savannah Luree Weverka

by Aaron Banta

by Chelsea Rogers

by Micayla Watroba

5. Promote Lifelong Learning in Young People

by Lesley Martinez-Silva

by Brianna Rivers

by Jennamarie Moody

by Julie Anderson

6. Teachers Are Excellent Role Models

by Teresa Pillifant

by Mo Cabiles

by Gia Sophia Sarris

by Jennifer Wolfert

by Jenyfer Pegg

7. Unlock the Success Potential of Students

by Tamara Vega

by Nicole Gongora

by Madison Sherrill

by Alicia Costin

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Essay on Teacher for Students and Children