Reading Section 1-1 Comparing Your Motives To Others

In reading section 1-1a: Comparing Your Motives to Others’, a list of reasons why one teaches is provided. In reading such a list, a few motives truly resonated with me as palpable reasons as to why I have chosen the career path to teach Elementary School children. The first point on the list caught my eye with the idea to have a positive influence on kids every day. In chapter one of this book, Ryan, Cooper, and Bolick touch on the deep intrinsic values of loving kids and seeing them succeed while in the teaching profession, which, in turn, leads to the ultimate idea of positively affecting kids’ lives and seeing their characters grow and develop (Those Who Can Teach, page 6). The value of having an amazing influence on children has been

Extrinsic rewards refer to physical, tangible, and measurable outcomes of being a teacher. These outcomes can include salary, status, power, and a flexible work schedule. To me, even though the extrinsic rewards are not copious for teachers (as shown with a less than desirable salary based on geographic location), the reward of a flexible schedule truly stands out to me. The flexible schedule (as described on page 6) will allow me to gain more control of how I use my time not spent in the classroom and my summers outside of school. As a teacher, with June, July, and August up for grabs, I plan to use this time to travel and familiarize myself with the world. I plan to work 2 jobs at once (the latter being a waitress at my hometown bar) and use the salary from my second job as my travel fund. The flexible work schedule would allow me to work where I truly thrive but also allow me to experience the world and myself through different culture and locations. However, the intrinsic rewards far outweigh the extrinsic reward of a flexible work schedule. The intrinsic reward of the students is what drives me to be a teacher. As described in the text, seeing students succeed and overcome struggles allows me to have a “deep source of satisfaction” (page 6). Students, to me, are the promise of a bright future. The kids are the way to better our world in the future and further our understanding of the world around us. Knowing that you, as a teacher, play a vital role in molding and developing kid’s minds is the most priceless work that can be done for not only the children you teach, but the entire world. These rewards are a great reason I am involved in College Mentors for Kids. Working one on one with a child to develop their self-esteem, imagination, and outlook to their own futures is riveting and nothing short of