10. What Are My Motives for Teaching? What Rewards or Incentives Do I Get from Teaching?

When I started learning English, I fell in love with the language immediately. I really enjoyed my English classes. My first English teacher had a lot to do with this. She was a great teacher in all aspects: subject matter, methodology and rapport. She made a big impression on me. I remember thinking once: “I like what she does; I think I could do that”.

Choosing my major, then, was not that hard. I did it not only out of my love for English, but also for my interest in ELT. Over time, my love for my major has grown. It keeps me going, giving the strength to face different challenges. I believe that when you enjoy what you do, you feel motivated to do a good job, and it usually shows through your work. I hope I am able to inspire my students so that they can feel the same love for language learning.

In my journey as a teacher, there are always going to be learning opportunities for me, and I plan to take on each of them. I want to become more skilled and feel more empowered over time. In this life, you never really stop growing and learning. In my case, I want to be a lifelong learner because it will help me become a better teacher and person. For instance, I can never stop working on my teaching skills. This is not only about my personal growth or self-fulfillment, but also about the benefit of my students. In the case of a teacher, it is always this way. If I am a lifelong learner, I will always have something new to offer to my students. If my teaching is effective and meaningful, then my student´s learning will be meaningful as well. 

Teachers mean something for students, and students mean something for teachers. I can never forget that my teaching will affect my students - for better or worse. For this reason, I cannot allow myself to do a mediocre job. It is for my students that I want to be the best version of myself. Without them, I have no job, no purpose. Ultimately, this is the reward I get from teaching: knowing that if I do a great job, I will have helped transform someone´s life.