The Importance Of Becoming A Teacher

I came from an English speaking home but learned sign language around the age of three. My cousin was born deaf so my entire family learned sign language to some degree to be able to communicate with him. My mother graduated from high school and my father did not finish school. My parents were always employed full-time. Doing well in school was always expected in my family but going to college was not an expectation. I knew I had to work but I never thought about having a career. I always did well in school and learning seemed to come easily. I went to school in Yakima, Washington from kindergarten through 2nd grade, then moved to Toppenish, Washington where I graduate from.

Becoming a teacher was not something I had dreamt about doing, it just happened. Almost 20 years ago, my job was being moved out of state and I needed to find a new one. I heard about Wapato School District looking for a sign language

I always thought that a person had to be super smart to be a teacher. However, my feelings have changed. Yes, a teacher needs to have a level of knowledge but most importantly, a willingness to learn. Education is always changing and not all students are the same, so to be a teacher a person must want to be a life-long learner. I believe excellence in teaching is building a genuine relationship with your students. Students are very perceptive and they know when a relationship is superficial. When reflecting on my own experience, my high school agriculture teacher comes to mind. We had a good relationship. At first, he saw that I was a hard worker, but he also saw a leader in me, that I did not see in myself. I will never forget his words, “Never sell yourself short. You have good qualities and it is not bragging.” I believe a good teacher can bring out qualities in a student that they might not know they