A Happy Medium

(Part of my English final paper.)
Ever since I was a little girl, all I ever wanted to be was a mom. Every time I think about raising my own children and teaching them how to see the world with new ways, I know that is what I am supposed to be doing. The only problem with that profession is that there is not a degree program at BYU or any other college, so I need to have a backup degree. A teacher is very similar to being a mom; as a teacher I would be teaching children new things and helping them see the world around them with new eyes. Although as a teacher I would not be teaching my own children, like I would as a mom, it will still allow me to teach and help children learn about the world and I would be impacting others for good. I think that being a teacher is a happy medium between the two professions.

I thought that after I had found my happy medium between my chosen professions I needed to find the happy medium between my passions. In other words, I needed to find which of my passions I cared the most for and would be willing to pursue for the rest of my life and base my major off of my strongest passion. I decided to take a few classes that involved each of my passions: writing, reading, the Spanish language, collecting rocks, and the study of the earth. However, the more I attended classes from each subject, the more I realized how much I enjoyed each. Smart Moves for the Liberal Arts, introduced the idea of following my passions, but I could not decide which of my passions to start with. One day in class, Dr. Snyder introduced the idea of having multiple minors to make me more marketable. I decided to take more advice from Dr. Snyder and to use the resources that BYU provides, such as counselors and advisors. I talked to the Humanities Advisor, Paula Landon. She assured me that because the English major has minimal credit requirements I will be able to follow more of my passions and joys. I asked if it would look strange to have minors in subjects that did not apply to my major. Ms. Landon told me that it would actually look better on resumes because Science teachers are in high demand right now. By choosing to have multiple minors in different subjects I would become more marketable and resourceful to schools. Multiple minors would not only give me better job security, but by doing so, I would be able to find a happy medium of my passions.

I have chosen to follow the footsteps of my favorite high school English teacher, Mrs. Fraser; who taught me how to open my mind so that I could enjoy the literature while I read. She was able to do what no other English teacher had, make Shakespeare understandable and enjoyable. She also helped me to realize that older literature, that might appear boring, is found in popular culture of today. I want to be able to do the same thing for my students so that they I will be able to plant the seed of interest so that they will want to learn more. As an English teacher I want to open new passage ways for younger generations and help them discover new ways to express themselves and also to understand the world around them. I know that Mrs. Fraser did not learn these skills over night; she took specific classes to prepare her to change the world.

To me, finishing my degree in a reasonable time is important because I cannot wait to be a mom. There is not a “Mommy” degree, but there is an English Teaching degree. As a teacher, I will be able to take breaks from work in order to have and raise children. The schedules for teaching will work out great with my children’s schedules because they will be in school the same time that I will be at work. By being an English Teaching major, be able to teach and be a mother; I will have found the happy medium for my life.