Leamon+Tell+2

The first time of doing anything can be over whelming, exciting and scary all at the same time. Through out our lives, we will have millions of firsts. I will talk about three firsts that really have impacted or are going to impact my life.

Past: I have know since I was a little girl that I had wanted to be a teacher. On my mom's and Dad's side of my family, I was always the middle child. All pf my cousins were a lot older or a lot younger than myself. So, I was stuck babysitting. The strange thing was, I never minded. I enjoyed taking care of the kids and playing with them. From that point I knew that I wanted to teach. The question was always what. I have always thought that early education would be my major. But, I am not sure if that would be a perfect fit for me. First, I thought I wanted to be an English teacher. I always loved telling and writing stories. I have never enjoyed history. I really didn't like science. I have always struggled with science they were the only classes I would get B's in. Until, my first physics class. Physics was a required course in my school and I had to take it junior year. Since I didn't have great experiences in Biology and Chemistry, I wasn't expecting much out of this class. But, I found that it was very easy to understand. I really like all the ideas and to me it helped me understand why things do what they do. I loved it. My teacher, Ms. Tran, was the best teacher that I have every had. From the first day I met her, I could tell that she was so passionate about physics and that she loved what she was doing. I left that class with a 99. A record in my science education. The next year I took AP physics. This class was really hard, but Ms. Tran was there to help me through it. She is the reason I decided that I wanted to become a Physics teacher.

Present: Coming to college covers about half the firsts that you will do in your life. The first time you live on your open, the first time you are responsible for your self and your schooling. I could talk forever about the firsts in college. But, the thing that I was most nervous for were my classes. Throughout this semester, I have been questioning whether I wanted to keep with physics. The first day that I started my class, I was confused. I was thinking this is not what I signed up for. After a few weeks, I was still confused because this is a type of physics that I have never learned before. I realized how broad physics really is and that if this is what I want to do then I will really have to work hard to learn. Now, I have learned things that I never gave a thought to like how the universe is expanding and how black holes form. That is what physics is all about. It explains things that you have learned about your whole life but have never really asked about. Also, this is what education is all about. Realizing that things won't always be how you expect them and you need to keep an open mind to learn new information. But, the main reason that I want to be a physics teacher is not to teach about gravity, but to teach about life. The reaction to my major is normally, "Wow physics, I never understood it". When I ask why, there response usually is they didn't have a good teacher. One of my goals as a teacher is to show the physics isn't what everyone thinks it is.

Future: There are many reasons why people want to become educators. Many people say it is for that moment when you know that a student understands the subject. This is partially my goal. The first time I see a light bulb click in my students will be a very important day of my life. Also, the first time that my students understand how important physics is in the world is another important day. But, the thing that I am looking forward too the most, is the first time I inspire a student or impact their life in a positive way. This is the reason why I want to teach. I think that teachers have such a tremendous impact on the lives of their students. They have the power to make days better and better lives. Even if it is something as small as making them have a better day, that would be enough reward for me. I hope to someday inspire my students the way that Ms. Tran inspired me.