Эссе: What do I like about being an English teacher

Nowadays in Russia English language has become the most popular one among foreign languages. As for me, I like this language and English helps me in my life.

If you've ever thought about being a teacher, let me tell you- it's amazing. Not only do you get to enjoy a wonderful schedule, you also get to enjoy a career that is different each and every day. You get to choose an area that you love- for me, English- and share every little last bit of that with young people. What could be better?

I entered the teaching profession only after spending five years practicing a profession of industrial process automation engineer. There is something alluring about working with the younger generation; to see learning take place before your eyes, to watch them mature and grow into responsible adults; which is much more fun than cleaning up messes other people made, and hoping to get paid for it.

Every once in a way I have to hear lots of complains from my colleagues - teachers today, that pupils are not those ones, as they used to be fifteen or twenty years ago. They try to find and emphasize their individuality that is why teachers try to find and continue to develop some positive, representative and individual qualities and facts in a person.

I am fairly convinced that the role of a teacher has changed recently. We mustn’t teach new generation of students with archaic methods. I’m totally sure that the work of a teacher has changed much. New standards of education give us other approaches to the aim, methods, contents and tools of education.

The kids make me laugh a lot. I teach different grades from fifth to eleventh but I love the fifth ones more than any grade I have ever taught. I find that kids not only need to be taught English, but be given a place to voice how they feel about Shakespeare or...ghosts maybe. The parts I enjoy the most are definitely helping a student who is struggling with a concept and then seeing them do well on the test. That is the most rewarding feeling. Also just the interaction with the students.

As far as I remember, some years ago every lesson was a teacher - centered, a teacher found and gave information, rules, examples etc., while students listened, wrote down, learned by heart and reproduced the material. Times are changing, school is changing as well. Now is considered that good English teachers should not only know the subject matter because nowadays the teacher is not considered the only source of information Now the most important teacher’s roles are to be the Organizer, the Tutor and the Facilitator.

I wake up most mornings excited to get to school, happy to see my students, looking forward to sharing something with them. Some days are harder than others, but most days are great. In my opinion, teaching is the most important job in the world. Every year, I get over 50 new students. When you think about the simple magnitude of the possibilities involved in that, it's dizzying. I have the opportunity to shape these young minds into something more than they walked in with. I am able to share stories and poetry, music and novels, anything and everything full of art and language and knowledge. I get to make non-readers into book lovers. I am an advice-giver, role model, and a smile. My mood directly affects my classroom, and in turn affects my students. Each day I get up in front of my pupils I have a chance to positively impact each and every one of those children.

And to sum all up, I have now taught for more than twenty years, and seven of my former students are my colleagues now and have never looked back. Changing a profession was the best decision I have ever made.