Personal Essay On Middle School

Ever since middle school, I have felt a strong desire to become a math teacher due to the mark that one of my own teachers has left on my life. As a middle school student, I was an extremely shy individual who believed that her worth was reflected solely in the grades she earned. Mrs. Zaring changed that. Although I did what I could to avoid drawing any attention to myself, Mrs. Zaring acknowledged my presence. While I was too timid to ask questions during class, she was happy to help me after school. As I spent time doing math homework in her room after school, we began to talk about our interests and hopes for life.

I learned that she loved playing field hockey when she was in school. With her help and encouragement, I joined the middle

school field hockey team. Through the hours I spent practicing with my teammates, I developed a better understanding of friendship and what it means to be a team. Also, I greatly enjoyed the physical demand and skill that the sport requires. When the field hockey season ended, Mrs. Zaring invited me to join her and another teacher in their after-school workouts. We would run through the halls and do exercises such as wall sits and planks. This was something I looked forward to every day. I am thankful that Mrs. Zaring introduced me to these activities because I now love running and plan to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the rest of my life.
As we incorporated workout music into our runs after school, we began to share our music preferences.

At the end of the school day, we would each pick some of our favorite songs to listen to in order to get a better understanding of the other’s taste in music. We would also give movie recommendations to one another and contemplate the meaning of our favorite movies. Aside from our conversations about music and movies, we both shared an interest in math. Whenever Mrs. Zaring offered extra credit to the student who could memorize the most digits of pi by Pi Day, March 14, I began to study immediately, spending numerous hours a day writing and rewriting as many digits of pi as I could. On Pi Day, the few students who had attempted to memorize pi went up to the whiteboard and wrote all that they could remember. By the time that I was done writing, all of the other students were in shock; I had 177 digits of pi on the board. I would like to major in and teach Mathematics because I enjoy solving the puzzles present within the different areas of Mathematics. I find it intriguing that one can use different strategies to reach a finite solution of a math problem or equation. Furthermore, I greatly appreciate the importance of math within many aspects of

society.
By spending time with Mrs. Zaring, I found that her happiness was contagious; it was impossible not to enjoy being around her. She showed kindness to everyone she interacted with and encouraged each student to follow their dreams. It continues to amaze me how one person can completely change the life of another; Mrs. Zaring did exactly that. She taught me what it means to care for and be cared for by another person. My interest in the profession of a math teacher is due to the impact that my teachers have made on my life. One day, I want to be able to help students whether they are struggling with an academic subject or simply need to talk to someone. I hope to brighten each student’s day and help them enjoy learning. Through my words and actions, I will show students that they have great meaning in this world. As a math teacher, I hope to positively impact the lives of my students, like Mrs. Zaring and others have impacted mine.