At a young age I was drawn towards child care, whether it be a regular babysitting job or an actual teaching position. I was fixated on the joy experienced by a child and potentially being the reason behind it. According to Trade-Schools.com, 13.7% of elementary school aged children have a desire to become a teacher.

Through countless years of begging and enviously watching those who were trusted with holding an infant, I found myself at a job in a preschool. I arrived on the first day to a myriad of pre-k students in different states of rest. My fellow employee directed to the kitchen where I was put into training. Legally my job did not allow me to be left in charge of the 20+ kids at the preschool, but I had to become comfortable with some clean up like post-accident cleansing and doing dishes after lunch. In my time there, I grew more respect for the teachers that I scoffed at during my childhood for trying to help students who created disruptions.

According to a study conducted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, of 88 accounts of student misbehavior reported by 12 informants, 33 of the incidents were conducted by a student doing something privately (drawing, reading, etc.). The study was done in order to determine the most common student problems in the eyes of a dozen teachers.

Ashley Watson, an employee of a Title One preschool, admitted that she sees in her work some instances of discouragement of such minor misbehaviors. Watson explained, “They’re [preschool students] learning through mistakes,” she continued, “so I feel mistakes should be welcomed.” Watson,  junior, believes that the education system does not correlate well with young children through the utilization of an abundance of punishments. She even stated that intolerance of small misconduct is “restricting their creativity.” But this epidemic of over reactions to small wrongdoings can cease as a result of the next generation.

Watson suggested, “Educating more people on it.” She went on to say that the use of research can help future teachers find better strategies.

While for many years there have been faults found within education systems, upcoming educators can make change of their own experiences. That teacher that yelled at a student for sneezing is a life lesson for their spectators. As uncomfortable as it can make people, be welcome to mistakes, they can potentially turn someone’s life around. If that someone be a future business owner or an inspired teacher we can embrace our faults.