Speech 2

Becoming an Educator
Choosing my path to become an educator was something that completely shocked myself. Growing up I hated school and always knew college wasn’t for me. I wanted to be a cosmetologist, something that doesn’t even require college. But as I got older and high school came to an end reality set in that maybe college was my better idea. My parents at this point weren’t really giving me a choice if college was an option or not, I was going. As I started to research different jobs and knowing different characteristics about myself teaching was a subject I kept falling back on. Knowing my love for children and desire to always want to help people, and lots of prayers I finally made my decision to become an educator.
My college career started with my acceptance to Texas A&M University, this completely boosted my confidence on every level. After deciding moving off wasn’t something I had wanted in my life just yet I made the decision to settle, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. My freshman year of college would be spent on the island and it was probably one of the best things for me. Family was close by and my grandfather owned a company that gave me a chance to work and plenty of time to focus on school.
My path at ACC began my fourth semester in college, after moving to Elgin. After talking to my counselor and going over degree plans checking off classes I’ve already taken I decided the classes I would be taking here at ACC would be Speech, history 1302, Texas politics, and English. Luckily all my chosen classes would be here at the Elgin campus; I love the small class sizes and have even chosen to do a few online classes. After this semester I will continue my education path by applying for the university of Texas education program. Although I am an aggie I plan to attend the University of Texas because of its closeness and hope to make a few very special family members proud.
As people ask me “why become a teacher?” because as Elizabeth Green once stated in the New York Times “Teaching shouldn’t be about money but the desire to want and feel the need to help children because after all children are Americas future,” to me working with children has always been a love. I am the oldest of six kids so being around small children has always been a normal for me. I love children therefore this job isn’t about the measly 40 thousand I will be making a year but the excitement and love I know I will grow to have for my future career.
Not many people understand or even know about the amount of teachers needed each year to fulfill every position possible. Teachers are in demand and have been listed as one of the top 10 in demand jobs in America. “In 2006, there were 437,000 people employed as preschool teachers. Before 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 26% increase in elementary school teachers, adding 115,000 new jobs.” Jill Hare once stated in time magazine. Many states are instituting programs to improve early childhood education. These programs, along with projected higher enrollment growth for elementary age children, will create many new jobs for preschool teachers, which are expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. So the way I see it teachers will always have jobs, because as long as there are children teachers will be needed.
Being the best I can be at my chosen career is all I hope for in this path of my life. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” A quote once said by Claudia Wallis published in education weekly magazine. Choosing classes and deciding what schools I’ve wanted to attend haven’t been the easiest, especially the dozens of math science and history classes needed for my degree plan. Never did I ever think that I would be giving a speech based on my life and chosen career path, but I’m almost there! Half way done with my degree and I couldn’t be any more excited with my life and proud of myself for coming this far. Next semester I will be applying for the education program at the University of Texas at Austin in hope of graduating with my bachelor’s degree in 2017.