Why I Became an English Teacher
More than one person has told me that becoming an English teacher was a bad career choice. There are too many English teachers
looking for work today, they explained. However, my decision to become an English teacher was not based on the job market, but on
where I think I best fit in the grand scheme of things. If language is at the heart of everything we do, then I want to be in the middle of
the action, helping others learn to use language well.
That brings me to a series of current events in which language has played an extremely important part: The Presidential campaign of
2012. It is at times like these, when we are bombarded with information, that we need our language skills to be first class. We not only
need to understand what the candidates are saying, but we need to evaluate each statement’s veracity. We need to analyze and
evaluate the information using strategic and extended thinking; this leads to creating a point of view on a topic. My goal as a teacher is
to ensure my students have the skills they’ll need to make informed and logical decisions that benefit themselves and their community.
(Adapted from: https://www.teachthought.com)