"Really?" At least that's the usual response I get when people find out that I am an elementary education major. They don't seem to expect anything specific they just aren't expecting that. I have found that there are two general responses that people have after this point. They either say something like "aww, that's cool" or they will get this look and ask "you want to be a teacher?" (Thinking maybe I just wasn't sure what elementary education meant) After the latter response they pause and think and I stand there and wait, because about 75% of the time they decide they need to give me some advice about my career choice. They will mention something about how much I'm going to have to "deal with children", every time expecting me to drop my chin and say "wow, I hadn't considered that." Or even better, they'll say, always with a chuckle, "you're going to be sooo poor!" I usually give a little half laugh back while thinking 'yeah, people with full time jobs and advanced degrees being unable to provide for their families,' that is funny.
I've wanted to be an elementary teacher since I was sophomore in high school, and in the beginning comments like this bothered me a little bit but I've always had a job with kids so after a comment I would go to work and remind myself why I decided to do this in the first place. Now I've heard it so many times they just roll off my back and I move on with my day, because I want to be a teacher, I look forward to a year from now (Lord willing) setting up my own classroom and looking over a class roster. I just can't wait! So don't come up to me thinking you need to explain my career choice and tell my about how school life is difficult because, contrary to VERY popular belief, I have given this quite a bit of thought and do in fact know what I'm doing.
*I apologize if this came off as hateful I meant for it to be more of my observations of people's reaction to my career because I don't mind telling people that I'm a teacher, actually I'm quite proud of it. I just don't appreciate it being critiqued so consistently.
