Below is a short reflection on my experience on the other side of the classroom dynamic. Though my teaching experience is informal there are approaches to the field I think are unique to me even in those settings. If teaching becomes an avenue I pursue professionally, in the classroom, or otherwise, these are things I intend to incorporate into my day-to-day lessons. 

Throughout my schooling, I've always seen the importance of sharing my knowledge with the world. However, in my case, my experience doing so centers more outside of the classroom. As I've worked in various museum settings, I find that teaching is integral to customer interactions. People come to museums with curiosity and it's the job of docents and curators to facilitate public learning and engagement. I think that working in museums allows teaching to step into the real world, to highlight that learning should not stop outside a classroom. I have heard from many patrons that they experienced an excitement for history they didn't have in school, and that the material held relevance for them. Teaching requires a love for the material as well as an eagerness to share knowledge with others. Without those, teachers (those working in academia or the public sector) disservice potential students. Anyone can be a student. Anyone can be a teacher. Though usually associated with the classroom, these roles are expansive but at their core require a willingness and passion to step into them. Through a combination of these, I've received positive feedback from others that my approach excites them to learn more on their own.