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A Heart Made to Serve

An unknown speaker once stated, “A teacher plants the seeds of knowledge, sprinkles

them with love, and patiently nurtures their growth to produce tomorrow’s dreams.” This greatly

sums up my career goal as I study to become an educator and endeavor to inspire the children of

the world as they develop into future leaders in the workforce and beyond. Most importantly,

however, my dream to be a teacher is firmly rooted in my identity in Christ, which serves as the

foundation for the character I strive to strengthen and the example that I want to teach as a leader

of my prospective students. The greatest teacher I know is Jesus Christ, who was sent by God

solely to preach to the disciples about the power of His love and to be a model of faith, respect,

and compassion. Christ ultimately exemplified His selfless ways by sacrificing his life on the

cross so that God’s children could experience eternal peace in Heaven. As I grow in my

vocation, my purpose is to love God, love others, and share the Gospel whenever the opportunity

arises, because the key lesson that has been the most significant to my growth mentally,

emotionally, physically, and spiritually is knowing Whose I am and where my worth has been

established. With that in mind, I feel more determined than ever in my heart to serve children

who have so much potential to grow honorably and to guide them as they cultivate their God-

given gifts to help their neighbors.

Educators in my life and the lives of others have altruistically provided their time,

patience, and love to children year after year, because they long to minister the concepts of

thoughtfulness, deference, and honesty, so that these qualities may be integrated into more and

more communities. Throughout my life, the teachers I have been blessed to know and to study

under have been the most genuine examples of kindness, dedication, and generosity.
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My godmother, Aunt Cathy, was a Special Education elementary school teacher, and

when we visited her house when I was younger, I loved hearing the stories about how she

connected with her students. Truly, I could see the desire she had to guide them in their academic

journeys and to be an illustration of humility in her words and actions. Her goal was to be a

beacon of light for all her children; many of them came from struggling families and difficult

home lives, so they treasured the time they had at school to learn and to be with encouraging

peers and teachers. Understanding the impact my Aunt Cathy had on her students moved me and

brought to my attention how much I wished to be a role model to children. Although she is

retired now, she is still fulfilling her role as a teacher, answering questions and giving me advice,

as I hope and prepare to become a gentle yet hardworking educator like her!

Choosing to become a teacher has been one of the easiest decisions I have made in my

life. In my heart, I have always felt called to work with children and to not only communicate

academic lessons but to relate to students through everyday challenges and to fight through these

struggles with them. There has not been a day that I have questioned that this is what I am meant

to do, because I realize that I am going to learn just as much from the children as they will

hopefully learn from me. Though I have felt anxious about understanding new education skills

and how I will utilize them when I begin teaching, I have faith that God will direct me as I aim to

give the kids all the knowledge and love that I have to offer! The most fulfilling reward I have

come to know is watching others give their best to not simply achieve their goals, but to have

discovered a message or a lesson that they may remember and apply every day! Teachers have

presented me with the knowledge, abilities, and new perspectives to move forward as I progress

to different goals, and they have forever urged me to be the best version of myself that I can be.
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They have their students’ best interests at their very core, no matter the situation, and I pray that I

may be able to contribute all that I can for the best education experience possible.

Education is a gift that is not to be wasted. School can be demanding socially and

academically, but it can be the most worthwhile experience when I embrace the opportunities it

has given me to grow and to finally shift forward to accomplish my elementary education

dreams. In these next years, I am eager to flourish in my aptitudes, so that I may make a

difference in the lives of my students, bestow upon them the optimistic experiences I have had,

and offer all the services I have put in time and effort to improve. My greatest aspiration is that

the children I teach will continue to blossom in their talents and to shine God’s message of hope

with a servant’s heart, remembering that all glory goes to Him alone.