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Jaylynn Belin

Mrs. Kathleen Trace

English 111

05 October 2018

High School Teacher

Throughout time teaching has gone from a simple profession to a very important and

complex job. Most people look at teaching as an easy task. Those people do not realize that

teachers are helping to shape the children of our society. As the Former Governor of Oklahoma,

Brad Henry says, “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of

learning.” Henry is talking about the impact great teachers can have on others. I think that

dedicating your life to inspiring children is very valiant and deserves to be more recognized in

America. I believe a career as a high school social studies teacher is most fitting because of the

large amount of job availability, ability to impact kids , and the perks or benefits to the job.

In the field of education, there is almost always going to be a job somewhere for you.

Whether it is in the United States or somewhere around the world, there is always a need for

teachers. As more students are beginning to enroll in public schools there is an increased need for

teachers. The projected growth rate of high school teacher employment is expected to go up at

least eight percent from 2016 to 2026 (U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics). There is also even

more of a need for teachers in third world countries where opportunities for education are not as

easily accessible. Organizations like UNESCO are working to get as many teachers as possible in

classrooms all over the world (Van Horst). The increasing need for teachers all over the world

gives a sense of security when deciding to go into that profession because you will always be

able to get a job.

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I believe that one of the most important parts about being a teacher is the impact they

leave on students after spending time with them. Teachers are unsung heroes, they work very

hard for students even though they don’t receive much recognition. Teachers with care and

passion for their job help inspire children to think deeply and challenge themselves which is very

important in today's society (Tucker and Stronge). Although teachers can inspire students they

also have a very significant impact on their learning. Research done by John Hattie says that the

quality of the teacher accounts for 30 percent of the variance in student performance (Pearson).

Countless amounts of people believe that effective teachers can help students get the most out of

their education (Pearson). These effective teachers have the opportunity to change the course of

learning for children as they progress in school. In order to determine who is an effective teacher

they look at their performance and their impact on students rather than their backgrounds or

experiences the have already had (RAND Corporation). People who become teachers and are

passionate about their job tend to have a very significant impact on the lives of the students they

come across. I believe that it would be very fulfilling to have such an impression on children's

lives.

One thing everyone looks at when getting a job is the benefits, like health care or

pensions, that they receive while working. When looking at the full picture I found that there are

lots of benefits and perks to going into the education field. There is an immense amount of

support for teachers in communities throughout the United States. An immense amount of

businesses in the United States offer teacher discounts on classroom supplies, cell phone bills,

airline travel, and more (TEACH). Also, things like retirement plans can be very beneficial if

you spend enough time on the job. This is important because if you spend your life teaching you

may be able to do well after retiring as you build up money. Most places also offer opportunities
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to say goodbye to student loans if you commit to teaching for a certain amount of time

(TEACH). This could be a huge relief for people with a large amount of debt from their college

education. Another perk would be the time you have off. With holidays and summers off there

are lots of opportunities for traveling or doing something else you are passionate about. This also

presents an opportunity to get another job to help earn more income if needed (Purdue Global).

Although people do not believe being a teacher offers the most, there are many more perks and

benefits than people may realize.

The benefits and perks to the job, the ability to impact a large amount of children, and the

amount of job availability are all reasons that I believe a career as a high school teacher would be

most appropriate for me. As I have conducted my research I have found that there are a lot of

positive aspects to entering into the education field and things are only going up.

Works Cited

Bass, Suzanne. “Re: Career Interest Email.” Received by Jaylynn Belin, 11 Oct. 2018.
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Horst, Toria Van. “The Importance of Teachers in Developing Countries.” Facing the

Future, Facing the Future, 19 May 2016,

www.facingthefuture.org/blogs/news/126052483-the-importance-of-teachers-in-

developing-countries.

“Is a Teaching Career Right for You?” Purdue Global, Purdue University, 2018,

www.purdueglobal.edu/news-resources/becoming-a-teacher/.

“It Pays to Teach in 2018.” TEACH.org, TEACH, 2018, www.teach.org/explore-teaching/salary-

benefits.

“Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics, 4 May 2018, www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-

teachers.htm.

Pearson, Stuart. “The Powerful Impact of Good Teachers on Student Achievement.” The Scots

College, Scots College, 16 Mar. 2016, www.tsc.nsw.edu.au/tscnews/the-powerful-impact-

of-good-teachers-on-student-achievement.

“Teachers Matter: Understanding Teachers' Impact on Student Achievement.” RAND

Corporation, RAND Corporation, 2012, www.rand.org/education/projects/measuring-

teacher-effectiveness/teachers-matter.html.

Tucker, Pamela D, and James H Stronge. “Chapter 1. The Power of an Effective Teacher and

Why We Should Assess It.” Linking Teacher Evaluation and Student Learning, ASCD,

2005, www.ascd.org/publications/books/104136/chapters/The-Power-of-an-Effective-

Teacher-and-Why-We-Should-Assess-It.aspx.
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