How have you advocated for the teaching profession, whether in schools or in the wider world?

 Something I realized early on in my education career is that teachers are not respected as professionals. I have heard it in the media, from friends, and from family. I remember sitting at a family dinner and a relative was making fun of a kindergarten teacher who had a masters degree. He commented, "What kindergarten teacher needs a masters degree?" And I responded, "Don't you want the smartest people to teach your children at any age?" It has always been very frustrating for me to see that teachers are not treated as professionals. The main ways I have helped to advocate for the teaching profession is through my actions as a teacher and my involvement with Golden Apple. As a teacher, I always make sure to act and look professional. Some teachers may like to wear jeans and t-shirts to work but I always make sure to dress business casual. It's the clothes that make the man so if teachers want to be respected as professionals, we should dress like professionals. The other way I advocate for the teaching profession is through Golden Apple, which is a teacher preparation program in Illinois. I am a Golden Apple Scholar. With more teachers in a professional organization like Golden Apple, we can gain more recognition for the work we do. Often the media portrays teaching as a noble profession. They only show teachers in nice little human interest stories that warm our hearts. While this can be true, we must show the professional side of education and show that our job is much more than babysitting.