Diminishing the Perceptions by Casey

Diminishing the Perceptions by Casey - June 2020 Scholarship Essay

The teachers are mean. That is what a child recently told me while I was babysitting her. Although this is not an uncommon phrase to hear from a high school student, these words were coming from a first graders mouth. Hearing this caught me off guard, especially since people typically think of first-grade teachers as the caring and loving ones. However, as painful and sad as it is, I began to ponder and realize that this is most likely the case for many students today, including those in other countries. Therefore, I hope to change this, with teachers one day being deemed as caring individuals as they once were.

Within the past year, I began to pursue a career as an international English teacher. After experiencing, firsthand, the power that English has around the world, I decided that this is what I wanted to do with my life. However, I do not want to be just any English teacher. I want to be a teacher that stands out, and that has a reputation for providing an enjoyable and caring learning environment. I desire to truly invest in the lives of students, not just teaching them. I want to change the perception of teachers that students all around the world hold. Yet, that is not all. Not only do I want to influence others, but I also want to aid those that are in need.

People often become an international English teacher because it is a high paying career, whether they truly possess a passion for teaching or not. However, making money is not my sole focus and intent. Instead, I want to teach English to students living in orphanages or poverty, providing an affordable, yet high-quality learning experience. Despite what their current financial situation is, all students deserve a solid education. I want to change my intended career field into one that is for enjoyment, and not for money. There is nothing more satisfying and enjoyable than teaching and loving on people.

One last way I hope to influence change is by expressing the importance of this career choice. Throughout my seventeen years of life, I have never heard a single student proclaim that their dream is to become an international English teacher. Without a doubt, I believe that policemen, firefighters, doctors are extremely important. However, with English being the common denominator in today's marketplace, it is, by all means, critical. Furthermore, the value for speaking it continues to increase every day. Without English, businesses all around the world would feel an effect. Therefore, international English teachers are irreplaceable.

Throughout elementary and middle school, I was unsure of what I wanted to do in life. However, as high school started, pieces slowly appeared, and a picture started to form. Today, as I wait for my high school graduation to arrive one day, hopefully, I look forward to the ways that I can bring change to my intended career field. Becoming an international English teacher seems very foreign to me because it is not a popular career choice. Furthermore, sometimes people perceive it as condescending and cold-hearted, as the prosperous income is often the purpose for people becoming teachers. When I become an international English teacher, I hope to diminish each one of these perceptions, and instead replace it with a high value of importance, and filling it with love, kindness, and generosity. The joy received through teaching is more prosperous and valuable than any amount of money ever provided.