"If you can't do, teach"

As an Education Major at MTSU, education is obviously very important to me. Even as a child, I always begged to learn more and more. As an adult, I now know the power of a good education. I am not like most college students (especially those in the education field) I do not believe that everyone should go to college, and I definitely believe that college is not for everyone! I do believe, however, that everyone should get an education, even technical training, after high school.

In high school, I was once told "if you can't do, teach." What an ignorant statement. Teaching is not for the faint of heart. I am at times criticized for my decision to be a teacher, either by people who believe that my job will be easy, or that I am just doing it for the time off (which is a perk I'm not going to lie!), but we subject ourselves to putting up with snot-nosed, kids and those kids' parents. As everyone knows, the salary definitely isn't why we subject ourselves to educting the children. Education is a tough field! If you don't believe me, pick up a newspaper or ask a teacher what they have to go through everyday. Along with the diversity of children in classrooms who come from less than pleasant homes, the ways of teaching are changing, more emphasis is put on standardized test scores, and stricter guidelines are placed on teachers. I feel that I am called to teach, as cliche and mudane as it may sound, if I can make a difference in one child's life my time and struggles in the education field will have been worth it. As educators we will never know how far our influence will travel, whether good, or unfortunately bad. If you can read this note, thank a teacher.

For all my fellow educators and education majors I put together a list--

You know You're an Education Major (at MTSU) when....
 --You know how to write a lesson plan 3792758 ways, probably with your eyes closed --You get excited when you hear about new ways of teaching --You get to bounce ideas off your peers about your future classroom -- Everyone in your class is engaged, married, and or has children --You have in class debates about the AR program --You have in class debates about pretty much everything --Everyone in your class, being future teachers, wants to explain the professor's instructions to the rest of the class --You are encouraged to make your projects "cute" --The mention of No Child Left Behind creates mass chaos --Along with the mention of TCAP tests --Everyone knows if you have observation hours in the spring, you had better get them done before March because of TCAPs --You save what other people consider trash because you see it as a craft or science project item --You have observation hours for every class, and no idea how to fit them all in --You have a max of 3 boys in your classes --Cardigans are a staple in your wardrobe --You bring your lunch to school --You plan roadtrips with your fellow classmates to go to Goodwill stores in "rich towns" to get nice teacher clothes --You own at least one article of clothing or jewelry with an apple on it --You high-light....a lot! --You actually love learning and try to learn as much as you can --You can spot an education major just by the way they look --Grades below A's are unacceptable --You are kind of a dork, you may or may not be able to admit it --You have been fingerprinted, drugtested, and TB tested so many times you lost count --You can state your philospohy of education in case anyone ever asks --You want to hit anyone who comments on how easy your job will be when you get out of college --Whenever a fellow education major is dressed up, their classmates ask if they have practicum that day --You have had classes with 99% of everyone in your classes before--You love getting new school supplies --Whenever area schools get out for snow, you get excited knowing one day you will get snow days --You have so many canvas tote bags you can't count them all, but you still feel you need more --You get to go on neat field trips, like to the Chatanooga Aquarium --You love the children's literature section at the book store --Whenever a family member goes to a yard sale they buy you the sale's entire stock of children's books for your classroom library --Hearing a child laugh may be one of your most favorite sounds --You are an expert at peer teaching and at acting like an elementary student for your fellow peer teachers to teach to --Many of your professors are terrible teachers themselves --When you ask your reading professor how to teach silent letters to children, the response you get is that one day when you get your class, your teacher's manual will tell you how to address the issue --You know that being a teacher is a lifestyle, not simply a career --