My profession is an English language teacher

Омарбаева Аяулым Аманжоловна

There are more than forty thousand jobs in the world. They all contribute to our daily life, whether it is an accountant helping us track expenses or a taxi driver driving us around town. I believe that no profession is useless and that every workplace should be occupied by people with relevant skills and personal qualities. Hence, long before I even had to work I knew that my nature would fit a teacher’s job. Today I work as an English language teacher in public school.

I have been working here for many years now but the reasons for why I do it have not changed a bit since I first stepped through the school’s doors. The first and probably most obvious reason as to why I love being a teacher is that it is a noble profession. Every little kid dreams of somehow saving and changing the world. Some want to become firefighters, some aspire to be doctors, some strive to succeed as astronauts. For me it has always been teaching. Although this title is a little less striking or impressive, teachers are some of the most important people in any society. They are the ones who educate those very same doctors and firefighters. There are, of course, also university professors, who, as many argue, give us exact skills we need for any given occupation. However, schoolteachers build something very important. They build the foundation for any knowledge. They support people during a very complicated momentous period of transitioning from children to young adults, from those who receive help to those who provide help. Moreover, teachers, often unknowingly, along with parents serve as first examples of what it’s like to be a person, a citizen, a friend, an individual.

Another reason for me being a teacher is more practical. I am sure that this profession will always be in demand. There is no world without education. Quite contrary, nations fight to provide education for all. I can’t imagine a time when teachers are no longer needed. There might be a change of how we teach like going from physical classes to online courses, but human interaction will hardly ever disappear.

Speaking of interaction, spending time with students is probably my favorite thing about this job. I have always been very communicative and today I get to talk to hundreds of different people every single day. I don’t want to sound cliché but these kids teach me as much, if not more, as I teach them. When we get older, we forget how little we sometimes needed to feel happy, how small things seemed major and how actually big things seemed very insignificant and distant. I feel such a joy by just looking at kids, teenagers and the way they live their lives. When I’m in need of a little pick-me-up, they give me energy. When I’msad or irritated, they gift me smiles. When I rush too much, they make me stop and see the beauty of a moment. I once overheard a conversation of my students on Monday who discussed how they went to see a brand new Marvel movie the previous day. They laughed while describing main characters, chuckled through talks about different-flavored burgers. I suddenly wished that I hadn’t spent my Sunday obsessing over how weekend was almost over.

I also remember once sitting with my colleagues, each grading our own papers. Math teacher scribbled through countless formulas, geography teacher sat down with a world map. I was reading essays. I remember vividly how in that moment I realized that I was the only person in the room who understood English. I was the only one, but at my desk I had works of fifty more people who would grow up knowing English. They would grow up knowing the third most spoken language on the planet. I’d like to think that because of my efforts and contribution one kid from Kazakhstan will end up working for international company somewhere in the United States. I know that my students are prepared for globalization and it gives me peace. I know that they would have no trouble to fit the requirement of Kazakhstan’s goal of speaking three languages. English language will open doors for them and I’m glad to have opened the doors of English. Honestly, I would be glad to have opened just a window.

At work I try to be proactive. It is not enough for me to go from lesson to lesson and then go home. School is a living breathing organism that is never out of tasks to do. I like to help with extracurricular activities such as getting ready for holiday celebrations or decorating classrooms for upcoming thematic evenings. It is a great chance to interact with student and fellow teachers in an informal environment and get to know each other better. I am a strong believer in local communities, so I try to start with my school. I also try to make my own lessons more interesting by adapting various teaching techniques. One form of a lesson that both my students and me enjoy is debates. Kids get together in groups, I give them a controversial topic. They get ten minutes to prepare arguments and then begin protecting their positions. By doing so, we combine practicing English with developing presentation and leadership skills.

It’s pretty obvious by now that could talk about my job forever. These pages are not enough to sum up the joy I feel from being a teacher. However, if I ever needed to quickly say the most important thing about my profession, I always chose to say that I never take this privilege for granted and I would never pick another job.