1. Herbert Spencer once said, “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” I remember the day I interviewed to become a tutor. To be quite honest I did not take the job seriously. School had always been easy for me. Because of this, I assumed tutoring would be easy as well. At the end of my first day I had already mentally written my resignation letter. The kids were mean, the teacher was tired and I remember asking myself if I was as jaded as the kids today when I was in middle school. Every day for a month I wanted to quit. But every day it seemed to get a little bit better. It was not until a few months later when it hit me, I had the power to make a change. <br />Since 2007, I have worked at a low income middle school in a predominantly Spanish speaking city. Most of the students are native Spanish speakers who have either immigrated to El Paso, Texas from Mexico or come from Spanish speaking homes. They were told every day by society that they had no chance of success. The students were encouraged to pursue trade schools instead of college. Unlike the Chicano Civil Rights movement that occurred in the 60’s, students were not forming walkouts and demanding higher education, they were accepting their fate. <br />During my time as a tutor I have encountered a multitude of kids who came from a myriad of backgrounds. Some kids were very honest and told me that they were just waiting for their 16th birthday so that they could drop out and go to job corps, or even just to drop out and start working. Kids, who could not have been older than 13, were working nights at restaurants as dishwashers. My heart sank as I realized how lucky I was to be in college and have a family that supported and encouraged me. Instead of being encouraged to pursue higher education, these kids were forced to grow up and become adults.<br />It was simply not an option for me to do anything but attend college. As a first generation immigrant I was told education was the only way I would succeed. I was raised by a single mother who had worked 70 hour weeks and struggled to finish her education. I went to college to do better, to be better and to become better. I do not want to be the teacher who is too tired to care. I do not want to dread coming to work every day. I want to inspire and promote change. I want to be the voice that makes the students want to be better, too. I remember the teachers that hated their jobs, the ones that did not care if you passed or failed. On the other hand, I remember the teachers that forced me to try; the same teachers that did not settle for average but demanded excellence from every student. <br />Everything about education I love. The great voices of literature inspire me. I yearn to continue studying literature. I know I can truly make a contribution to education considering my background and understanding of students like me. Every day work hard and hope I get the chance to continue my education. <br />It did not matter how much I liked English, what mattered that these kids did not fall through the cracks. With time tutoring became easier. I had taken a personal interest in each student’s life. I wanted them to succeed and do better. I wanted them to have that choice to decide. It did not matter if I made them love English the way that I loved English, what mattered was that they knew there was a better way and that they have that choice. College was an option; their lives did not have to be dictated by society. Just as I had decided to pave my own path they were the makers of their destiny. I can honestly say without hesitation working at a middle school was one of the hardest but also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Because of that, I discovered I want to facilitate that change; I want to inspire students to want more for their lives. Most of all I want to continue with my education. I know I can make a difference in this world. I can be the teacher that inspires change. <br />I will continue to love literature, and at the same time I will strive to make a change in this world. Education is no longer about knowledge to me, but will forever be about action. <br />