Leaders That Change the World by Madison

Leaders That Change the World by Madison - December 2023 Scholarship Essay

“Who was your favorite teacher?” This is the security question I was prompted by my bank. Every person has been impacted by some form of a teacher. Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, and Ernest Rutherford, three of the world’s smartest men, have credited their teachers for their success. Innovative teachers have raised students who go on to change the world, but it all starts with a teacher. My chosen vocation benefits society because I firmly believe that public education is the backbone of society. Teaching is more than ABC’s and 123’s, it is cultivating curiosity, building hard workers, and developing critical thinkers.

I want to prepare students who are capable of being successful in the changing society of the twenty-first century. If the world is changing, education needs to change as well to meet the demands that will be placed on the upcoming generation. The workforce today is fast-paced and technology driven. With the technological differences, children must be prepared with a skill set that has never been taught before. My desire is to become a teacher and design a curriculum that teaches students a wide variety of skills. These skills include digital literacy, computer fundamentals, and utilizing spreadsheets and other databases. Effective communication has always been a vital part of the workforce, but now it is more crucial than ever. With technology, the world becomes much smaller. Students today must be ready to engage in interpersonal skills, both in written and verbal forms.

In the same manner, social emotional skills (SES) are an emerging topic that are being studied as crucial to development. Teaching students how to work with classmates directly translates to collaborating with colleagues. Relating to others directly translates to building strong interpersonal relationships for decades to come. Learning to manage one's feelings and behaviors is going to serve people in all aspects of their lives. Teaching SES teaches inclusion, sensitivity, conflict resolution, growing healthy relationships, sustaining emotional health, and building relationships are just a few of the skills that teachers explicitly teach students. These skills are incredibly beneficial to society because they create environments that foster empathy, care about personal growth, are able to manage emotions, and preserve strong relationships.

Change begins with teachers. Out of the typical twelve-fifteen waking hours, students are with their teachers for eight of those. There is an ever growing list of skills that must be explicitly taught to ensure students are prepared to meet the demands of the twenty-first century. Teaching does more than benefit society, it develops leaders that change the world.