How did your gender affect you when you were a child?

I can never remember a time where my gender once afflicted me. Having a younger brother my memories of childhood consist of playing princesses with him but also playing pirates, we played both with Barbie and Action Man, and fought over the best Skaletrix car and once even over my ballet dress.

We had the same dinner, the same bed time, the only thing different about us was our appearance and 2 years, but even then only just. We are both loved the same and were granted the same opportunities growing up.

Even in school this ideology hardly swayed- the boys and girls dressed for PE together in the same place and all played together in the playground. Girls played football and boys went to ballet. All the class were invited to birthday parties and when there didn’t split into specific gender group. Everyone played together, sat together, sang together, learnt together.

Obviously on occasion gender would influence the setting for example getting into a line at mealtimes or for assembly, the Christmas play when boys would act in male roles and girls in the female ones- however at the time this wasn’t deemed an issue more a normality.

As a child I was far too innocent to let the issue of gender come into play. It hardly affected me and I believe that’s exactly how it should be.

Teaching isn’t just a job, every single person on this planet is a teacher. Any aspect of knowledge one individual can provide to another is a teaching and a learning experience regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or profession. However only some of these people dedicate this lifetime of learning to actually teaching others every single day by choice- by profession. These people are teachers, they are considered secondary carers for their pupils and a role model. It is exactly for this reason I love teaching.

Helping a child to gage their learning styles, adapt to social situations, input into discussion, and flourish their knowledge in all topic areas is the most fulfilling and wonderful feeling ever. As a teacher you are shaping minds, creating opportunities, and giving every pupil you reach the chance to become whatever they want to be by providing them with all the tools you can supply.

From my previous experiences in three different learning environments both primary and nursery and my work teaching in the Army Cadet Force I have had my fair share of experience in teaching kids. Its not easy. No one will ever tell you this job is easy, most teachers you will ask can give you a hundred and one reasons why it is such a hard career, but its not about being easy. This job is not for the faint hearted, as a teacher you must be bold, composed and aware at all times- as a teacher you will be tested and pushed to all of your limits- but also as a teacher you will learn every single day from your pupils and co-workers, you will thrive and work of the achievements of your pupils, and you will help every learner you come into contact with in one way or another.

Eventually you as a teacher may have helped 100s of young people to grow, develop, and achieve. Because of you multiple children will have the stepping stones in life to achieve the greatest things.  Think of your favourite celebrity/ athlete/ any person in fact? Almost all of them had a teacher! Now why wouldn’t you want to do that?