William Butler Yeats famously stated, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Wow. The lighting of a fire! That is quite a task presented to educators and one that we must take to heart and carry out if we desire to be phenomenal teachers who are able to engage students and assist them in becoming responsible and educated members of our global community. Passion is desperately needed if we want to be able to be transformative teachers who assist students in unlocking their own talents and go after their heart’s desires full force. Most importantly, it takes competence, possessing that knowledge and infusing it with some creativity to make education appealing and relevant to our students. We must be able to exude enthusiasm, an excitement about our subject matter and transmit that energy to our students. Students need to see that what they are learning is important, and find a meaningful personal connection to their own lives. As educators, being passionate means going above and beyond to ensuring that we understand the students whom we serve, that we meet them where they are at and willing to work with them patiently on the road to academic success.
I was lucky to have worked alongside a teacher who was very passionate about education and who ensured that all of her students were always striving for excellence. Words cannot describe how inspiring her example was for me as a future teacher. When one is in the presence of a teacher who genuinely cares for her students’ education and feels strongly about their abilities there is a magnetic force that just draws you in. You can feel the positive vibes and see how students react with enthusiasm and eagerness. The teacher was able to instill in them a fire for learning, and it most certainly showed to anyone who walked into that classroom. You cannot convey passion for learning if you do not possess it yourself.
To be an educator is a privilege, not a right. We are fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to teach, challenge, shape and foster the intellectual habits of the next leaders of our country. When I think about the amazing experience I had this past semester as a student teacher I cannot help but have a big smile on my face. The experience was both challenging and rewarding, and truly a great blessing in many ways. It is this desire to serve my community, specifically my desire to work in a special needs school among traditionally underrepresented students that lights the fire in my heart every time. I believe that all students are capable of learning and should be held to high standards. Most importantly, I believe that students deserve teachers who are “on fire” to work with them, who are competent and who are eager and excited to pass on the torch of academic excellence.
It’s time to light the fire in our hearts and set our students ablaze with the love of learning! Fight on my fellow Trojans, the next generation of passionate teachers is out to revolutionize the world of education!
If you’d like to know more about how MAT@USC can prepare you to earn your teaching certification and make a difference in your local community, contact our Admissions office at 888.MAT.1USC or email us at matadmit@usc.edu.
