Teaching is one of the best-known professions in the world. However, it is also extremely underrated, especially when it comes to teaching elementary school students. Jenny Peters, author of the article Confessions of An Elementary School Teacher, notes that it is indeed a “challenging career” that ultimately brings “immeasurable rewards” (1). However, no matter what you have to do, it seems those rewards trump anything as long as you put your heart into it, not just for the students, but for the drive to teach them and lead them into bigger, brighter futures. .It's hard to believe how long elementary school teaching existed before most people knew what it was or exactly what to call it. It all began with European settlers in the 16th and 17th centuries, when they arrived in the North American colonies and created their own school systems based on wealth and social status. Those who could afford a better education were sent to preparatory schools, known today as private schools, while those who could not were sent to basic vernacular schools, known today as public schools. However, during this time, primary (elementary) school was strictly under the control of the church and offered only what they considered a basic curriculum which consisted of reading, writing, and, of course, religion. These restrictions varied across the rest of the colonies, for example in the Middle Atlantic colonies they were more keen on education and saw most people receiving some portion of it, while in the southern colonies only the wealthy classes could pay private tutors for their children while slaves were forbidden to study. read or write. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that...... middle of paper ...... you had the patience and responsibility needed when caring for other people's children and making sure they leave safe and sound. save after day. Elementary school teachers aren't given all the credit they deserve because they have a lot to do. Middle and high school teachers have much more work to grade and in more detail, but they also teach students that they are capable of taking care of themselves, while elementary school students are not and need to be guided and educated in a way that will set them on the right path when they leave primary school. I want to be the one who creates curricula, gives them time to play, organizes fun activities, and teaches the basics of reading and writing to the younger generation. Being an elementary school teacher isn't just a job, it's a duty, a responsibility, and, in my eyes, a luxury.