Ever since I could express mysef, I wanted to become a teacher. "Oh" they said, "how cute". As I got older my dream was the same. "she'll grow out of it", they said. In seventh grade, I realized that no one was going to take my dream seriously. How many times had I heard "you'll want to do a real job when you are older" or simply "hmm, very intresting", clearly impling that they were a bit suprised that a girl of 11 would still wish to be a teacher. By seventh grade I had resorted to telling people that I would like to work in something else, no idea what. People said "oh good, I knew you would grow out of it". Why? Why do I need to change my dream because people think that it is a dream for little girls? My own family "you know, it might be good to get experience with other jobs". Sure, that's all fine and well, but I can still be a teacher. My dream is to influence students the way that my teachers have influenced me. To change a life, as my teachers have done for me. To give a purpose, as my teachers have given me. But, for some reason, this incredible job is written off as a little girl's dream. Why should I grow out of what I want to do? Why is my dream brushed away as something I should grow out of?