The Life of a Teacher by Lindsay

The Life of a Teacher by Lindsay - September 2017 Scholarship Essay

When I was a senior in high school, I was excited to apply to colleges but I was uncertain of what I wanted to major in. When I thought about all of my passions and interests, I remembered how I used to love playing "school" as a child. I would be the teacher and my friends would be the students. I would even print out fake worksheets to grade. So when I heard that my high school offered a course called Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow, I signed up right away. This was my chance to find out if my future career was to become a teacher.
Throughout the year, we learned how to write lesson plans, manage a classroom, and many other important skills. The part that I was most excited for was the internship at the end of the year. Each student had the opportunity to work side by side with an elementary or middle school teacher for a few weeks. I chose to work with a third grade class. On the first day, the children were very eager to meet me. It brought me joy to see how happy they were to have a teacher's assistant. At the beginning of the internship, I would observe the class and help the teacher with a few things. I would also eat lunch with the students. Then towards the end, I had to prepare two lesson plans and teach the children.
When the internship was over and the school year was coming to an end, I reflected on my experiences. Although I enjoyed the class and learning what it's like to be a teacher, I discovered that this profession was not for me. This elective class gave me a greater appreciation for teachers and all that they do.