Every individual has their own point of view on the value of teachers. As for me, I believe that they are an essential part of a student’s life. Anyone can hand a student a book and tell them to read it, but only a real, caring teacher can teach the material at a new level of depth. I believe I’ve been blessed with some of the best teachers in the country, because they believe and act as though their work is far more than just a job. They not only put in the time and effort to teach us the new information, but they also provided us with valuable life skills.

More Than Just a Job

It’s unfortunate that many people do not fully understand the big role teachers play in not only a student’s educational development, but personal life as well. Back when I was in 8^th grade at Bert Corona Charter School, I came across a new teacher at our school. She was never my formal teacher, as I was an 8^th grader and she was a 6^th grade educator. It wasn’t until a school field trip to a UCLA football game when I started to talk to her. I shared with her an amazing opportunity I received to travel overseas for soccer. Without a doubt, from that day on this teacher took me under her wing and helped me out tremendously. I highly appreciated the things she did for me, like staying hours after work to help fundraise money for me to travel to Austria, coaching me out on the field during soccer season, being there when I needed guidance with school and soccer, and teaching me how to face my fears and be confident in my abilities to succeed. I worked really hard and it showed out on the field and in the fundraising. This event in my life forever changed my perspective on teachers.

An Invaluable Gift

Through all my experiences, I now certainly think that teachers are the true key to a student’s future success and career. Teachers open our minds to the different options students nowadays are offered in high school and college. We students cannot do it on our own. We all need guidance and help to grow into the person we want to become. Several parents at home are limited in the help they can provide for their child, whether it’s because they did not finish high school or for various other reasons. We have several teachers out in this world willing to sacrifice their time to take on that guiding role to make a difference in someone’s life.  Their interest in students has made them go that extra mile to push students and proudly watch them succeed. All the hard work that each teacher puts into helping their students is incredibly life changing because that hard work helps the students get self-motivated and on the right path to pursue their dreams. They’re out to create future leaders for this world. Teachers are the ones that inspire the doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and new teachers of tomorrow. Every teacher has something different to offer, but they are built with the same mindset of helping young minds grow and develop and ultimately reach their fullest potential. Therefore, whether we would like to admit it or not, teachers do matter and a lot.

Today’s guest author is Joanna Martinez. She’s a junior at Granada Hills Charter High School in Pacoima, CA.  She’s plays center midfielder for both Granada Girls’ soccer program and Select Cities Soccer Club. In her spare time, she likes to sing and  enjoys helping others in any way or form. When she grows up, she’d love to become a teacher or work in the mathematical field.