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Education majors share why they still want to be teachers, even with challenging years ahead

University of Texas students share why they aren't giving up on their passion despite obstacles.

AUSTIN, Texas — In a pandemic or not, being a teacher is a tough job that not everyone can do.

For the last six months, KVUE has heard from local teachers as they have been faced with tremendous challenges while navigating this pandemic.

But what about education majors that are preparing for their very first classroom?

"I've always wanted to be a teacher. I used to make my mom take me to Lake Shore when I was a kid and buy teacher materials and mark fake birthdays on the calendar," said Emily Loney, a University of Texas Education major.

Graduating in December, Loney is prepared to dive into the teaching world no matter what it looks like.

"Having the opportunity to interact with these kids just means so much more than anything else to me," said Loney. "Kids come from all kinds of homes and all kinds of situations, but one thing that is consistent in their lives is school."

She's not alone. With passion fueling these students in the midst of uncertainty, Amanda Wellman is getting her master's at UT with a focus in English. She said the world needs good teachers now more than ever.

"I just really want to be that teacher where our youth say, 'She's the one that really got me through my academic career,'" said Wellman

Being a guiding light, Dr. Ariel Taylor leads the UTeach program at UT, and said for the first time society is really feeling the weight of what teachers do.

"This is a moment right now where teaching is being valued, the understanding what we bring to the table is necessary and it's very valuable," said Dr. Taylor 

She said this pandemic will forever change the dynamic of the traditional classroom. 

"I encourage parents and teachers and students to be patient as we grow and learn together so we can define what teaching is going to look like post-COVID," said Dr. Taylor.

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