Supporting student success and helping students become respectful and responsible individuals are important goals for any educator. I believe that my journey of working to achieve my dream of being a teacher, coupled with the adventures of parenthood, are two experiences that help demonstrate my commitment to these important goals and have helped me become a successful teacher. My journey to becoming a teacher started later. in life than for most people. After having two children, I started thinking about becoming a teacher. Watching my own children grow and thrive in and out of the classroom, I decided it was time to pursue my dream. I realized that, like the teachers who helped my children succeed,