How do people reach the decison to become teachers?

           Many factors influence the careers that people go into. Some are chasing a dream that they've had since childhood, while others are just trying to make enough money to support themselves and their families. But what makes someone decide that they want to become a teacher? For me, it was the fact that I love helping people learn new things, and enjoy caring for and working with children. I find this type of work to be very rewarding. While I know many other future teachers feel the same way I do and have chosen this career path for reasons similar to mine, in my research I have found that there are a wide variety of reasons that people chose to go into teaching.
         One of the reasons that stuck out to me came from an article about 4th grade teacher, Renee Longshore. In this article she discusses her previous teachers and states that, "Each of them became a part of who I am today." I found this a fascinating reason to become a teacher, because it is true that each one of our teachers plays a part in who we turn out to be. After all, we spend an entire year of our lives with them, looking at life through their teachings. Having the opportunity to become a part of someone's life in such a big way is a monumental responsibility, but also an exciting chance to help children make the most of their futures.
          Another common reason people choose to become teachers, is that it allows them to spend a lot more time with their families than most careers do. People who have children find this type of work to be very convenient for their schedules, because they go to and get out of school when their children do, get the same vacations, get to spend summers with their children, etc... What other career could offer you the same? While I don't believe this should be your only reason for becoming a teacher, it is definitely a perk for people who want more time with their families.
          Yet another reason people choose teaching as a career is because of the freedom it allows them. While there are strict guidelines in the curriculum of what must be taught to students, teachers have a lot of freedom on how they choose to teach things. This allowance for creativity is a refreshing part of this career that cannot be found in most other occupations.
           While all these reasons to teach are very different, they all have one thing in common.
No one becomes a teacher for the money. While teachers don't make a terribly low amount of money, it's not what you would expect for people who have such a truly important job. No matter the salary, people still choose to become teachers, because the drive to make a difference in the lives of children is what underlies every reason for becoming a teacher.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/14/us/why-teachers-stay-ireport/

http://www.unc.edu/uncbest/teacher.html