Your passion is contagious.

So I really, really should go to bed right now but I have so much to say and my mind is just RACING!

Tonight I had a little study session with a girl in my ward who is also an elementary education major. We were studying phonics, syllabication, etc. for our literacy quiz tomorrow... Well, after we finished studying, we started talking about what it really means to be a teacher and how underestimated our future profession really is. Now, I know I already posted about this topic recently -- but there are a few more comments that I'd like to make.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when my sister, yeah -- Danica, comments on my major of study. She'll say things like, "Yadda, yadda...You're an elementary ED major!" as if it's not a big deal or as if it's EASY.

Well, folks. Easy it may seem.

But while you're a dentist cleaning teeth all day, just remember who's being underpaid to teach your child how to read, write, spell, and do arithmetic AND MORE -- not to mention teaching your child how to be self-disciplined and develop a good sense of character on the side while doing the same favor for 29+ other students of different academic/cultural/SES backgrounds in the same classroom.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Their teachers.

Will you dare to underestimate my chosen major of study one more time?

I didn't think so.

NOW -- school for me now may be an easier task at hand than your mechanical engineering or pre-med chemistry classes.

But if you ever... EVER think about underestimating the profession of a teacher -- please, think again.

Now please, don't get me wrong. I am NOT complaining. In fact, I am shouting to the rooftops how excited I am! After talking to my friend about how much teachers shape and influence lives of students -- I can't WAIT to be a teacher.

Students are going to come into my classroom after a long, dreadful weekend at home or even after seeing their dad thrown into jail for selling drugs. And they're going to need my love and my hand in their life because they don't get the love and support they need at home. To further my point, you may have had Mom and Dad read to you every night -- but a lot of children don't! And in my future classroom, there will be students who will not be as fortunate to have that academic support at home... But it is up to me as their teacher to be there for those students!

My point here is -- it's not going to be an easy task. However, I am thrilled to be a teacher someday.

So don't hate.

SECONDLY: 

Every time I hear/read this quote, I take a deep breath of relief... and smile.