Why I Want to Be a Teacher Essay: Writing Guide [2024]

Some people know which profession to choose from childhood, while others decide much later in life. However, and whenever you come to it, you may have to elaborate on it in your personal statement or cover letter. This is widely known as “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay.

The primary reasons to pursue this career are:

1. Raising new generations and changing the world for the better are your goals.
2. You have all the qualities and skills to become a teacher.
3. Duties, responsibilities, and creativity that the profession involves fascinate you.
4. Growing up, you had a fantastic teacher who became your role model.

If you’re having trouble coming up with arguments, you have come to the right place! Here, at Custom-Writing, we gathered all the essential tips to use in a “being a teacher” essays.

🎓 7 Reasons to Become a Teacher

Why do you want to be a teacher? Being one seems manageable if it’s your dream job. At the same time, it’s the hardest profession that wouldn’t fit everyone. Check the following reasons to become a teacher that you can use in your paper.

Also, the following points are entirely appropriate for children. If they have a task like a “When I grow up, I want to become a teacher because…” essay, they will find this section useful.

🌱 Raising New Generations

Do you think that future generations require different teaching? Do you have an idea of a new proper approach? Whatever you believe, make sure to write about it:

• Elaborate on the problem:

Would you like to see a more environmentally-conscious generation? Or do you find that kids lack concentration and the will to succeed? Explain why you consider children and teens need guidance.

To support your argument, give statistics and real-life examples of the problems modern children and teens have. Provide the leading causes and solutions for this issue in your “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay.

• Talk about your reasoning:

How did you understand that the problem above exists? You have to write why you thought about it in the first place.

For example, siblings. Do you have a younger sibling? Or a nephew who often asks you to play with him or her? Then, in your “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay, you might mention that this child helped you choose a future career.

• Explain why you:

What makes you think you might be a good teacher? Does the child enjoy spending time with you? Did you manage to teach the child something useful? Make sure to discuss this in your essay.

So, are you ready to write about raising new generations? Check this essay sample below to ensure your success:

🎨 Creativity in Teaching

In this kind of essay, you would shift the focus from yourself to the teacher’s profession in general. You’ll elaborate on why you find this profession a great creative outlet.

Talk about creativity that you’ll bring to the classroom. Use this reasoning to explain why this profession is one of a kind and appropriate for you in particular. Do you think that you might use your creative abilities to become an excellent teacher?

To underline your points:

Share several ideas on how to educate children using innovative approaches. Kids are naturally compelling storytellers because of their sincerity and imagination. Maybe, you’ll find a way to use it.

🔍 Qualities of a Good Teacher

All the educator’s responsibilities require communication and writing skills. They have to acquire accountability, patience, creativity, etc.

You may be wondering: how can this topic help me explain why I want to become a teacher? The essay should compare the qualities of a good teacher with your own. Thus, you’ll show how good you are for the position.

• Do you believe that a good teacher should be kind? If positive, mention some example that proves your desire to help. For example, you might have volunteered at an animal shelter.
• Do you argue that a good teacher should be knowledgeable? Tell your readers about your good grades in college.

Still, wondering about how to write a good paper on an educator’s qualities? Check the useful teacher essay sample, written by a student:

🏫 Duties and Responsibilities

While this topic may sound similar to the previous ones, it’s all about how you present your arguments and structure your narrative. This topic offers you an opportunity to examine the day-to-day lives of teachers.

First of all, you can describe the duties and responsibilities of a teacher. Explore it, be it grading assignments, cooperating and communicating with parents, or continuously learning.

Secondly, you can focus on the aspects of teaching that you find rewarding. You can add in your essay writing the sadness that a teacher feels when his or her students graduate. Or talk about the joy they experience when they see students learning and improving their grades.

Whichever approach you choose, make sure it’s beneficial for you and reveals your strong sides.

👩‍🏫 My Best Teacher

This type of essay is similar to the previous ones. Here, you also describe the characteristics of an excellent teacher. There is, however, one key difference:

Rather than describing some abstract figures, you would describe a real-life teacher. Talk about the person who served as a role model and inspired you to pursue this career.

The premise of this essay is excellent:

First, you show an understanding of what the job of a teacher encompasses. Second, you also demonstrate your appreciation for someone who made a difference in your life.

“My best teacher” topic is an excellent opportunity to pay tribute to your teacher or a trainer who has significantly influenced your life.

👨‍🎓 Skills and Qualifications

You probably didn’t even realize that there are so many different ways to write a “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay.

This type of paper emphasizes yet another aspect of the profession. Here, you’ll talk about the skills and qualifications necessary to become a teacher. To return to the purpose of the essay, demonstrate that you have them.

Naturally, you will want to discuss the many different professional preparation programs out there. Apart from that, you may also want to check teacher training tips:

• Did someone cut you in line? Train yourself to refrain from unkind words and actions.
• Is the cashier taking too long to bag your groceries? Patience is a virtue that’s essential at school.

But what is the meaning of a professional teacher? Can they be nonprofessional? Let’s take a closer look at what features an educator should obtain:

1. Lack of preferences. Regardless of their level, an educator should not have any pet students or disclose anything that relates to student performance. It may seem to be easy, but some ethical issues arise. For example, can we say that students who get As should have some preferences? Should the teacher note students who got С on the last test? If so, wouldn’t it be unprofessional behavior?
2. Sense of authority. Professional educators manage a class’s environment and establish their presence. They know when it’s time for informal conversation in class and when it’s inappropriate.
3. Good content knowledge. Professional teachers always seek additional sources to boost their knowledge and skills. Teaching the lesson material should be addressed to each student. Real professionals can explain complicated math and physics in easy words.
4. Communication skills. A professional teacher always has time to learn more about their students. They know what motivates and discourages pupils and update the curriculum accordingly. Educators can create a friendly environment in class.
5. Comprehension of students’ needs. Professional teachers have a secure connection with their students. They adjust the planned curriculum according to students’ needs. Take a look at this TEDx video on what makes a teacher great^

Admittedly, this is not a complete list of professional educator features. Think, what else you can add to your teaching profession essay. By the way, you can take a closer look at this student’s “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay sample:

🦉 Changing the World

How many times have you heard that teachers change the world? It might sound quite trivial, but they do. Educators have a significant impact on the new generation’s development and their effect on society. Their influence expands to every sphere of our life, from business to community, from ecology to economics.

Here are the four secrets of how teachers change the world:

1. Sharing. A good educator shares their knowledge with others: students and colleagues. They bring their ideas and concepts to conferences, write blogs, and hold school meetings. Everyone benefits from this sharing. An educator gets feedback while their audience learns something new and motivating.
   Yes, it takes a lot of effort to set aside time for this, especially when you have a tight schedule. But it’s worth it. Think, would learning theories have ever existed if teachers didn’t share them?
2. Caring. Educators not only care for their students, but in most cases, they actively participate in charity. Think about what impact it can have when students, parents, and teachers work together for something significant. It can be anything: from planting trees to fundraising for cancer.
   Such activities help students to gain valuable experience in helping others and saving our planet. In most cases, they will continue doing so even after graduation.
3. Networking. In daily lives, teachers overcome various challenges. The networking and learning from other’s experiences allow the educator to see alternative points of view, motivate others, and find out new approaches to teaching.
4. Reflection. Educators regularly analyze what works and what not at their lessons. Regular observations help them adjust the curriculum or change teaching methods. A critical approach to their work allows the educator to optimize and make their job more impactful.

Now you have all the arguments to consider in your essay about the teacher’s profession.

🛑 7 Reasons Not to Become a Teacher

Teaching is not easy and not a profession you should choose unless ready to face all its challenges. And here’s the “shortlist” of them:

1. Low salary. Yes. Educators from all over the world don’t get paid enough. On average, teachers’ weekly wages are 19.6% lower than those of other professions. So if you are not ready to live, hardly able to make ends meet, being a school educator is not your number one career choice.
2. Teachers spend their salaries on students and school staff. Most teachers spend a part of their earnings on purchasing school tools and gear. In 2012-2013, K-12 educators spent 1.6 billion dollars on classroom supplies. That’s not fair. Are you ready to waste your hard-earned money this way? Moreover, you will have to transport all this stuff to class on your own.
3. Teachers have to deal with all disturbing trends. Des-pa-si-to. Does this song make you roll up your eyes? And what about the whole class with fidget spinners? How about that these things repeat day by day for a couple of months? Think if you can deal with your irritation and anger. If negative, consider another profession.
4. Teachers don’t have weekends and vacations. You may be wondering why. And here’s the answer: they write lesson plans, check countless essays and projects, etc. Yes, in most cases, you won’t have time for yourself and your hobby. And… even for your family.
5. Educators are at high risk of public embarrassment. This means you will have to control everything you post on social media, your behavior, and every word you say to anyone. It’s like living under the microscope. And it’s exhausting.
6. Students always try to escape studying, and some parents blame teachers for that. Have you ever missed an essay submission deadline because of procrastination? Even if the answer is “No,” your students will. And some of their parents will blame you. They can say that you did not adequately explain the lesson material, or you’re too prejudiced to their kids, or… whatever it would be, you’ll be wrong.
7. Students can be abusive. Even the best teacher faced abuse and bullying in class. Think, will you be able to deal with troubled youth and bad behavior day by day?
   

As you can see, teaching is a stressful, low-paying, and thankless job. There are many reasons not to become a teacher you can use in your paper and to think about when choosing a career. However, many people still decide to be teachers because it is much more than just a profession. They want this career path as the passion of their lives.

📜 Teacher Topic: Paper Types

You may say that it’s just a teacher topic essay, what are we talking about? There are plenty of other types of essays on teaching that your professor may also ask to write. Check our blog to learn more about their specifics.

Below, we will give you all the essentials on being a teacher paper:

🗺️ Application Essay

You will have to write this type of essay when applying for a job. This paper is a crucial part of your application. You have to prove to your future employer that you meet all the requirements of your future career.

At first sight, it’s similar to a CV or a cover letter. But the job application essay is an entirely different paper. And here are some of the features of these papers:

1. Life experience and hobbies. In your CV or resume, you state your hobbies, interests, and even the places you have visited. However, in the teacher application, you provide only relevant information about yourself that clearly shows that your experience makes you the best candidate for this position.
2. Personalization. You may not change your CV when applying to various companies (unless you want to tailor it to a particular employer and position). But your teacher application essay must be customized. Some employers will ask you to tell more about yourself while others require you to solve a specific issue in the application.
3. Your ambitions and enthusiasm. The CV doesn’t show your objectives or attitude to various teaching theories. Otherwise, your employer can ask you to write an essay that represents your professional goals.

🔔 Personal Statement

The personal statement is quite similar to the job application letter. You will write it when applying to a college, university, or for a job. The difference between personal statement and a job application essay is that the first one leaves more space for your creativity.

As in the teacher application essay, you will have to customize it according to the job requirements and express both your ambitions and personal features.

Some employers require you to submit a personal statement along with the CV and cover letter.

💭 Autobiography

You may be wondering why you may need to write an autobiography of a teacher. This essay will be useful for your future portfolio. For example, you can add it to a job search portfolio or “about me” section on social media.

Needless to say that social networking nowadays is an essential part of a job search or career change. So, make sure that your autobiography of becoming a teacher contains only positive details.

However, you have to remember that an autobiography on Facebook or LinkedIn (or wherever you decide to place it) should make your profile searchable.

✍️ “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” Essay

Above, we’ve provided the pros and cons of being a teacher. We hope, by now, you have the answer to the “why I want to be a teacher” question.

So, another issue arises: how to write an essay? Below we will show you all the essentials on writing teacher topic essays with examples.

1. ✔️ Preparation

Proper preparation is key to an A+ paper. First, you should determine the topic and arguments you will use in your essay on teacher jobs.

The arguments depend on the paper type you have to write. For example, you should prepare merits and demerits, or choose points to use in the argumentative essay. Maybe, you should research for a literature review. Whatever it takes, don’t skip this stage!

2. ✔️ Outline

The next step is to outline your future paper. An outline is a mandatory part of any essay writing. It’s a plan that will let you structure your ideas and stick to the required word count.

Here’s an example of “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” college essay outline:

In this 300-word “Why I Would Like to Be a Teacher of Political Science” essay, our experts organized the paper structure and put key ideas to explore in the paper. As you can see, after the introduction, they put the topic aspects to cover and left a part for sources analysis.

Make a list of your arguments and ensure that they are logically connected. Your professor can require you to write an outline with headings and subheadings as complete sentences or a series of words (phrases). So make sure you’ve carefully read the paper guidelines and understood them.

3. ✔️ Thesis Statement

After you’ve finished your outline, you can start essay writing. At this stage, you need to develop a good thesis statement.

The purpose of your thesis is to explain your position—the central idea of the essay. Tell your reader what you will write in the paper and explain the significance of the subject.

The thesis statement is usually 1-2 sentences long and concludes the introduction paragraph. You can sketch out your thesis and add some touches after the paper is completed to make sure it meets the essay content.

4. ✔️ Introduction

Next, start with an introduction. Here you will have to briefly show the understanding of the teaching profession and its peculiarities:

• A teacher essay introduction opens your paper with a hook. This first sentence aims to grab your reader’s attention. You can start it with a quote or an interesting fact.
• Then provide the context necessary for understanding the issue.
• End with the thesis statement. Make it as clear and precise as possible.
• If you have time and space, outline the evidence that you’ll use in the body paragraphs.
• Try to avoid phrases like “In this essay, I…” or “In my essay, I’m going…”

Here’s how your introduction can look like:

5. ✔️ Body Paragraphs

Now, it’s time to recall all the arguments and evidence you put in your outline. You will write them in your essay body paragraphs. Depending on the required word count and the number of evidence, the paper body typically contains at least three body paragraphs.

However, some papers can have two body paragraphs. You should know that each idea and point of view must be stated in a separate part. If you have three or five arguments, you have to write three or five paragraphs in your essay, respectively.

Here’s our sample:

6. ✔️ Conclusion

And the last but not the least part of your essay is the conclusion. Here you have to summarize all the ideas presented in the body section and explain how they meet your thesis statement.

Don’t try to repeat the thesis word by word or provide any new ideas. Here’s an example of a conclusion for an “I Want to Become a Teacher” essay:

If you used any sources, don’t forget to include the reference list in your paper according to the required citation style.

📑 “Why I Want To Be A Teacher” Personal Statement

The purpose of the personal statement is to tell the admissions officer or recruiter why you decided to become a teacher. You can be required to submit one along with your college, university, scholarship, or job application.

A teacher’s personal statement is a document where you can express your personality. Want to learn all the dos and don’ts of its writing?

Just keep reading!

📝 Personal Statement: Tips

A typical personal statement is up to 700 words or 4,000 characters long, including intro, body, and conclusion. To keep word count tracking, you can type it in Word or Google Documents. Now, let’s consider critical points of personal statement writing that you can use for college/uni and job application:

1. Intro. Your introductory paragraph is an excellent opportunity to open the statement with memorable sentences about why you chose to become a teacher. Make it bright and clear.
2. Structure. As we mentioned above, each of your points should have supporting evidence. For example, if you’re writing about your experience, explain what you have learned and how this will help you in your future career.
3. Conclusion. The secret of good personal statement endings is to keep it simple and clear. Explain why you would be a perfect asset to this company or college and make a statement on why they would be lucky to have you as an employee or a student.
4. Personal statement for primary teaching. In case you’re going to apply for a teaching role or major, you should mention skills that will be useful for extracurricular school activities. You need to prove that you will be able to help with school plays or organize various off-class events.
5. Postgraduate personal statement. Here, you have to show your abilities and academic interests. Persuade the admission officers how you will benefit from studying the program and your impact on science.

The next point to consider is what to write in the body section of your “Why Do You Want to Be a Teacher” personal statement. Here are some questions to answer in your paper:

• Why do you want to become a teacher?
• Why did you decide to teach at this level?
• What are your strengths?
• Do you have teaching experience?
• What personal skills do you have?
• Why do you think you deserve a place in this company/university above others?
• What is your background?
• What are your career goals?

🙅‍♀️ Personal Statement: Common mistakes

A personal statement may be the only way to make a first impression on your recruiter or admissions officer. There might be no other opportunity. That’s why you must know the most common mistakes to avoid:

1. Negative tone. Believe us: no one wants to read the pessimistic, weak, or adverse essay. Even if you have to describe an uncomfortable fact, try to make it positive.
2. Using online templates. If you found a great personal statement template that you think will perfectly fit your paper, stop! Recruiters and college admissions have seen dozens and dozens of them, so there are high chances that your application will be declined. Spend a little more time and write a statement yourself.
3. Including irrelevant facts or lies. Recruiters spend, on average, six seconds on reading the CV and a personal statement. That’s why you should neither tell a cool story about your grandmother’s birthday nor tell lies. In the first case, it’s annoying. Moreover, it may lead to firing or dismissal from the college.
4. Using clichés, jargon, overused words, etc. A personal statement requires a formal tone, so conversational tone is merely unacceptable.
5. Using the same personal statement for different applications. Even if you send your application to ten different companies or colleges, personalize it! Include some facts from the firm’s or university’s history, mission, or vision, and explain how your skills meet them.
6. Leaving writing the statement to the last minute. It takes some time to prepare, draft, and polish your paper to make it stand out from other applications.

If you still need a “Why Do You Want to Be a Teacher?” personal statement example, check the sample below:

🖨️ 50 Teacher Essay Topics

In case you want something more than “why did you decide to become a teacher,” check the topics below. We believe that your teacher will appreciate reading your paper.

1. A recess for primary school students. Imagine if you were a school principal. Would you sacrifice breaks in favor of additional study time? Explain your point of view.
2. Homework: yay or nay? Think about how much time students should spend on their homework in elementary school. Should there be any homework at all? Provide your points and evidence and show how they are connected to your teaching philosophy.
3. Technologies in education: pros and cons. Examine the advantages and disadvantages of using desktops and tablets at school and for homework.
4. Handwriting in elementary school. Some schools stopped teaching students cursive handwriting. Provide your point of view on whether handwriting is a lost art or an unnecessary relic.
5. School uniform and dress code. Should students wear a uniform? And what about the teachers?
6. Standardized tests in school. Are these tests discriminatory? Should they be tied to funding? Elaborate on whether they cause too much anxiety for students.
7. Second language learning: advantages and disadvantages. How many languages should an average school graduate know? Do pupils need to learn any second language at school?
8. Armed security in educational institutions. More and more school mass shootings are reported every year. Can armed guards protect students? Do your research on gun control and demonstrate your opinion.
9. Early start times at school. Explore how such start times impact on students’ perception of the lesson material.
10. Inclusive education for children with disabilities. Research the techniques that will fit your students with special needs. Show the connection between them and your teaching approach.
11. Personal philosophy of education and views on teacher’s career.
12. Discuss how teachers can influence students’ personal life.
13. Analyze the social and emotional competencies teachers should possess.
14. Describe the difficulties a teacher may face when working with children.
15. Personal development plan of a teacher.
16. Who is responsible for children’s low academic achievement.
17. Explain why you want to be physical education teacher.
18. Discuss pros and cons of distance education and traditional degree.
19. Describe an ideal public school.
20. Remembering who you were: my teacher.
21. What educational system would you prefer if you were a teacher?
22. Analyze the difficulties a teacher may face trying to implement multicultural educational practices.
23. Compare the efficiency of private and public schools.
24. Road to becoming a good teacher.
25. Why constant professional development is crucial for teachers.
26. Describe an educational style a teacher can use when teaching English as a second language.
27. Is music useful or harmful for student academic performance?
28. Methods teachers can use to improve the school for young learners.
29. Examine the effect a teacher has on student’s personality.
30. Discuss the specifics of teaching music in middle schools.
31. Analyze the crucial meaning of effective student-teacher interaction in inclusive education.
32. Explain the teacher’s role in integration of children with special needs.
33. Reading problems and ways of helping students with reading disabilities.
34. Describe the strategies a teacher can use to improve student learning.
35. What can a teacher do to help students in developing social and emotional skills?
36. Examine the value of education in student life.
37. Why e-learning is an important part of contemporary education.
38. Teacher’s influence on student’s career choice.
39. Discuss the role teacher plays in students’ moral development.
40. What can a teacher do to avoid workplace burnout.
41. Compare and analyze the role of teachers and parents in students’ math performance.
42. Career goal of a maths teacher.
43. Should the government allow armed teachers on campus for students’ safety?
44. Examine the most important classroom management areas for a new teacher.
45. Why are laptops and iPads so important for students?
46. Analyze how book clubs for teachers can stimulate professional development.
47. Is it right to expel bullies from school?
48. Motivation to choose a teacher’s profession.
49. Explain why teachers’ attitude is important for educational system success.
50. Why is low teacher retention a real problem and what can be done about that?

Want more tips and advice on resume writing? Check this article on how to make a resume written by our experts!

Good luck with your essay about being a teacher! Share the article with those who may need it.

Learn more on this topic:

• Scholarship Essay Examples about Yourself
• How to Write a Scholarship Essay about Why You Deserve It
• Financial Assistance Essay: Useful Tips to Make It Rock
• How to Write an Essay Describing Your Financial Need
• Why i Want to be a Pharmacist Essay: Step-by-step Guide
• College Application Essay Writing Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Write a 250 Words College Personal Statement

🤔 Why I Want to Be a Teacher FAQ

🔗 References

1. 10 Reasons Why I Want to Be a Teacher
2. 19 Top Ideas for a “Why I want to be a Teacher” Essay
3. Reasons for Becoming a Teacher
4. My Dream to Be a Teacher | Essays
5. Interview Answer: “Why Did You Decide to Become a Teacher?”
6. Why Become a Teacher? Educators Share What They Love About Their Work
7. Why I Want to Become a Teacher
8. What Is an Autobiography?
9. How to Write an Autobiography: 8 Steps for Writing Your Autobiography
10. How to Write a Resume
11. How to Write a Perfect Teaching Resume (Examples Included)
12. Working Toward “Wow”: A Vision for a New Teaching Profession
13. Being a Teacher Essay
14. Essay on Teacher for Students and Children
15. 5 Reasons to Love Teaching
16. Why Do YOU Want to be a Teacher?
17. Review Essay: Reflections on Scholarship and Teaching in the Humanities
18. How To Write A Great Personal Statement For A Teaching Job