Looking Into the Future

As a future teacher, I have many questions about what I will go through on a daily basis. It was great to see what Luther graduates have done and learn about their experiences in schools. I'm beginning to separate college life from "real life" and plan for actually having a teaching job. The part that effected me the most was when one of the teachers said they completely changed their plans when she met her husband, after studying abroad and planning to go back to teach there! Our future in teaching is so uncertain, and there are endless paths to take. This brings me back to the quote we read from our article about teaching which says, "When I asked about career strategies, I respond that you need two things: a long-term dream and a one- to two-year plan. A long-term dream allows you to work with purpose to achieve real fulfillment. A short-term plan makes sure you are learning and growing from the work you do each day." It is important to embrace this uncertainty, but work toward educational goals to fit this changing world. Teaching is so reliant on planning cirriculum, rules, and lessons. I am interested in seeing what other types of learning can occur through the unexpected experiences that we will all encounter as teachers. This is especially true with the diversity of student populations and all the places available to travel. The three teachers at this panel were very informational and reassuring by showing where their Luther education took them!