Why I Am A Teacher

I remember the day when I asked my mom why. "Why mom, why are people so cruel to each other? Why can't everybody just get along?" I remember her response.

"Dani, they are just ignorant. It is just ignorance. They don't know any better."

I remember when I learned what ignorance meant; the lack of knowledge or information.

In high school I realized that meant that people could be taught to be different. If ignorance caused hatred than education could create kindness, compassion, and peace. If ignorance caused people to despise difference than education could help people understand. If ignorance caused people to be unambitious than education could inspire them.

To me this is what it means to be a teacher. Our teachers are our first line of defense against prejudice and bigotry. The first people who tell us that not everyone is like ourselves and that is a good thing. And for some teachers are the only people who will ever tell them that they can be anything if they work hard enough.

I didn't get into teaching because I wanted to torture kids or because I loved school but because I thought I could make a difference in the world. I realized before I even started that our system is broken. I know which kids almost didn't graduate high school with me and I know why. I know it had nothing to do with their ability or their intelligence. I know which kids school didn't work for.

I thought I could make school work for them.