Some teachers say they teach out of a desire to help children learn and grow and to make a contribution to society. Others say they have a sense of commitment to the community or the nation, an intellectual fascination with a particular discipline (e.g., mathematics or history), or they have been inspired by one of their own teachers. Who was your favorite teacher? Was it Ms. Perez who made mathematics fun and showed you why it was important? Or maybe it was Mr. Anderson who challenged you to do your best. Perhaps you were a student with special needs and a special education teacher made a difference in your life.
Why did you like these teachers? What was it about how they reached you, what they expected of you, what classroom atmosphere or learning experience they created that made them so memorable? They cared about you, they believed in you, they wanted you to learn, and they challenged you to learn. Now it can be your turn to inspire the next generation of students.