Being A Kindergarten Teacher

I love my job. I teach five and six year olds.

It's not easy, but it is rewarding work.

I can't explain, really.

It's more than teaching little ones how to tell time or their ABCs. it's a lot more.

First of all, spending my days surrounded by children is better than working alongside angry, disgruntled adults in a bank. (That's what I used to do.)

Kids are amazing and there's no group I'd rather work with. Well, maybe dogs. But I can't see what job that would be, as a vet would just not be my thing.

The best part is teaching the kinds the lessons of life that are not in the books. Like how to be kind, how to be creative, how to be a responsible member of society.

That's my favorite part of it all. 

Of course, I do have to do workshops with other teachers, and there are a good number of them that aren't the nicest people, but then there are some amazing people in education. 

I'm happy I chose this path, or rather it chose me. How did I begin? I was helping my girlfriend teach her friend's religious instruction class. The girl who usually did it had mono. So we were team-teaching and filling in. I immediately loved it. Kids actually want to learn. I went home and told my boyfriend what a great time I had, and he suggested I consider changing my major from accounting to early childhood education.

My parents were not so happy. My Dad had been a teacher and was now retired. He had taught high school and hated every minute of it. I guess I can hardly blame him as kids at that age are hardly children, but actually young adults, most of whom really don't want to be in the classroom.

Since they were the ones paying for my college education, it really wasn't 100% my choice. After a two hour discussion they relented.

I stayed at the same school, Montclair State University, but I began taking the sequence of credits I needed. I ended up taking five years to do my four year degree, but it was so worth it.

There's not a day I go into work that I don't thank God that I didn't let my Dad talk me into sticking with accounting. Sure, I could have earned more over a lifetime, but the experiences I've had as a teacher more than make up for it.

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