Why would anyone want to be a teacher?

I had an interesting experience at a Superbowl party tonight. From across the room, I heard someone complaining to someone else about her major. She whined that because of her choice of major, everyone thought she was going to be a teacher, and how there is so much more you can do with that particular major than just be a teacher. This she said as if being a teacher was akin to being a garbage man. She didn't know I could hear (or, at least, I hope she didn't know. 

This got me thinking. People all over the country have these terrible stereotypes about teachers. Those who can't do teach, teachers decided to teach because they are lazy, teaching is a career for those who can't get out of high school or who aren't intelligent enough to do anything else, bla bla bla. I've heard them all, and there are teachers who definitely prove those stigmas.

So why do it? It's certainly not for the paycheck. Between the hours I work at school and the time I put in at home, plus the amount of work I do at work, it'd probably average out to like $4/hour or something insane like that. It's not for the glory. Being a teacher doesn't make me feel like a superhero by any means. So why, then, would I subject myself to a low-paying, hard-as-hell job? Good question.

Here's a thought. It's been estimated that the average person meets 100,000 people in his or her lifetime. If this is true, then that gives reason to pause. Let's say I teach 75 kids this year, which, by the way, is about half the students teachers typically teach in a year. Now let's say all these kids grow up and live fairly normal lives. Between the 75 of them, they will meet about 7.5 million people. The United States currently holds around 304 million people, so let's say that I teach for 5 years at 75 kids a year. At that rate, those 375 children will meet 37.5 million people. Those 37.5 million people will each know another 100,000 people, which will leave us at 3,750,000,000,000 people. That's a lot of people! So if you think about it, a good teacher can really impact the way our country works. 

But wait, Jessica, I'm sure one of you is yelling. There's no way you, or any other teacher, for that matter, will impact all the students you teach. You know what? You're right. Let's say I only impact one. That's still the potential to indirectly affect 100,000 people, who will then affect their 100,000 people in return. But Jessica, I hear again from the reader. No one impacts all the people they meet! Sure, I'll give you that one, too. Okay, so my one person that I've impacted. Let's say that person has a family and something I taught them gets imparted to those children. Those children have children and impart that slice of knowledge to their children. Or I'll be even more generous than that - let's say my one person who I impact never impacts another person. Isn't that right there enough - one person.

Each of us is a person. We all feel important. To a degree, we all feel the world revolves around us and that we (and those we are trusted to care for) are what it's all about. May I quote from Doctrine and Covenants chapter 18:

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

 11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

 12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

 13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

 14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one aoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

 The individual is so important. We can't function without the individual. We don't have a group without a ton of individuals. So, to all who wonder, why would anyone in their right mind want to be a teacher (insert upturned nose here), I say, Because of the worth of a soul.