Elementary Education Essay

It may seem difficult for some to see just how teaching can become an ultimate job for myself, let alone anyone for that matter. It is easy to see why certain people have this kind of opinion of this profession. For one, depending on the career path and position, the salary is not very enticing in proportion to the work that is required. It is a thankless job at times and requires a lot of patience. Yet there are certain intangibles that make teaching the ultimate profession for me. The simple fact that as a teacher I will have the opportunity to get in touch with and shape the mind of today’s youth to allow them to see the wonderful opportunities for them in this world is worth more than any remuneration that the job can provide. The satisfaction from being able to help young children fulfill their dreams and realize their full potential is something that cannot be measured by dollars and cents. This is where my educational philosophy comes from. I have always believed that there is no other better way to learn than by teaching. Many people say that you lean best by studying yet I disagree and say that one always learns best when teaching. Education is a two way street. The student learns from the teacher and the teacher learns about the student and more about life. Often times, the problem is that there is a communication barrier that exists between students and teachers. This makes it more difficult to impart anything upon the student because they are not as receptive. Another aspect that makes it more challenging arises from the fact that the learning curve that the teacher adopts may not necessarily be the one best suited for the student. This is often the case when there is no communication between the student and the teacher as caused by this carrier. For this reason, I believe that a lot of the teaching and learning must be accompanied with a certain level of respect in order to allow free intercourse of ideas that develop the learning. This approach, I believe, makes the teaching environment more productive as it cultivates respect for the teacher and the student. There is no greater joy in life than knowing as a teacher that you have done something to change the life of another. The development of the child is paramount in education. This development, however, is not only with regard to certain matters or fields of study but is more holistic in the sense that it challenges the child to not be content with what was learned but instead yearn for more. In child development, the teacher must always strive to make the child want to learn more. It is this type of preparation that aids in the development of the child. The role of teachers then becomes important in the context of child development because teachers need to understand what they are supposed to do. Many people have the mistaken impression that as teachers their role is to simply provide the student with information. The problem with this is that it imparts a static education. In order to become more effective as a teacher, one must realize that the role of the teacher is not to teach everything to the child but to equip the child to be able to learn more on his own. Teachers are guides. Teachers are not encyclopedias that just dispense any information at hand. Teachers should know that their role is to inspire in the child the desire to pursue higher learning. Teaching is a noble profession. In the hands of the teachers are entrusted the future of today’s youth. This important position in society is one that must not be taken lightly and must be revered. Yet in order for this to happen, a teacher must realize the importance of his or her job and the responsibilities that accompany such a privileged and indispensable role in society. To lead the children on that first step to a higher education is one of the greatest accomplishments that a teacher can hope to do.