I don't think there is much that should be avoided when trying to answer this question because so long as someone is passionate, I don't think it matter when they became interested in teaching. There are people who realize they want to be a teacher once they become older, but there are also people who have wanted to teach since they were in school themselves. I think for me, I have always been interested in working with children I just wasn't sure how. It wasn't until I was applying for college that I realized that this career seemed to fit me best.

I would assume that the phrases "I want to change a child's future" and "Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up" are overused and unprofessional. There must be some point in your life that you decided teaching was your passion. Share about the relationship you had with your favorite teacher, talk about when you were a counselor at summer camp for five years in a row and how you enjoyed working with and teaching the campers new skills, or perhaps you attended a seminar and the speaker was a teacher who sparked your interest in education.

Ever since I was in elementary school, I played "teacher" with my brother being the student. Even in high school, I still knew that I loved watching students learn things they never had heard about, and the idea of being able to be the person that teaches them so many things they didnt know, that is the best reward of all!

I wanted to be a teacher since I was 8 years old because my second grade teacher was great and cared about her students. I have always observed teachers and how they do things. I learned that a lot has changed, but my mind has not. Every internship I've taken as just reaffirmed that I need to be a teacher.

I would mention significant experiences that helped me make the decision, such as summer camps or internships. One thing to avoid is mentioning that you will have the summers off, because it does not sound professional. I would also avoid using a phrase such as, "I want to change the world," when you start answering the question. You should save that statement for when you finish answering the question, or omit it. Important points to stress could include experience and teaching styles.

I think that it is ok to be honest but not to be too detailed. Avoid too many details.

I have heard peers answer this question with what sounds like nails on a chalk board. People who answer this with "I like kids" or " I used to babysit" or even "I am gonna teach for now and then go do (something not related) later" are awful answers. People can work with kids as a dance teacher or a clown at a birthday party. Babysitting is nothing like actual teaching an it a negative comparison and saying you want to teach now and change your career down the road comes across as 'I couldn't find or decide on something now so I ll teach for now I guess, until something better comes along" Hear how bad that sounds? Yes, be honest and answer this question with heart but listen to what your actually saying. I would say I have wanted to be an educator since the second grade, I knew at the age this would be my calling. When entering College I than discovered not only did I want to be a kindergarten teacher bc I felt a connection to the profession I actually love what kindergarteners curriculum, I love the foundation I can provide for them. I love that the ultimate teacher is ultimately every profession combined and I knew I could help the youngest scholars shine in so many ways as a teacher, so I became one.

Some have known that they wanted to become a teacher since they were very young, but that was not the case with me. I did not discover my passion for teaching until I was a junior in high school. I started teaching dance classes at my dance studio to the younger kids and fell in love with the reward of helping the students reach new limits. Seeing their improvement from one week to the next was all the convincing I needed to choose teaching as my life-long career.