To me, becoming a primary teacher was always the path I was walking on. I can still remember a task in second year Social Education in which we had to research our dream job, then make a poster on it. Our guidance teacher stressed to us that when we left sixth year, she would not have these posters shoved back into our faces if our S2 dream job didn’t match the career path we were about to embark on.  Yet here I am all these years later, still committed to the cause.

So why?

Over the years I’ve faced the same responses from people who look down on the profession time and time again.

“They make absolutely no money though.”

“But you have grades that could get you into law, do you not?”

“Do you really want to spend a lifetime in education?”

The thing is – I do want to spend a lifetime in education. Upon experiencing school for myself, and having observed different classrooms in both mainstream and additional needs schools, I fully believe there is no job more rewarding than that of a primary educator. To see the ideas of the future generation come to life before their eyes. To nurture their personalities in a manner that creates well-rounded young adults. To be there as a support network when things get hard. That, to me, is what it’s all about – making a change and being the difference.

With a rapidly changing society, it is clear that the career I am embarking on will be full of twists, turns and surprises – and I’m ready.