Why I Teach, part one

My passion for teaching stems from my late childhood. Some teachers and counselors at my high school, who were much more an advocate for me than I was capable of being for myself, made a profound difference in my life—not just by the rigor of their academic requirements--but also by the very atmosphere of concern they created. Their attention to the details of my adolescent confusion and their encouragements nurtured in me a deep sense of civic and moral responsibility. I knew school was a good and safe place to be, where warm meals and protection would be provided along with activities and challenges. Without teachers and counselors in my high school life, I do not think I would have gained the same depth and sense of fairness and duty that I now cherish.
To surmise, it is not out of a sense of debt, but out of great inspiration that I feel part of my life's responsibility is to do what I can to provide advocacy (and a safe place to grow and learn) to all my students--especially when they seem least concerned about their own welfare.