Certain parts of my education stand out more than others, as these were big contributions to my life. I find that your own unique experiences in life change your perception on things, how you react to things, and so much more. My education has contributed to who I am today in three ways; it has taught me that with the right teacher you can learn anything, that I am capable of academic excellence, and that having a great support system can take you a long way.
In my 9th grade year, I earned my first ‘C’ in a class. The class was physical science and my teacher was Mr. Starkey. He was considered a tough teacher for the most part, but that wasn’t my problem. I understood the material on my own, but he had a habit of doing a quick presentation and giving a pop quiz the next day. I am not an auditory learner, so his monologues barely made a mark in my mind. By contrast, I had a government teacher named Mr. Taylor in 10th grade. Though I disliked history and thought government would be dull to learn, he made it fun. I excelled in his class because I was interested in learning. From that point onward, I learned the importance of knowing how you learn and catering to yourself, even if you have to teach yourself on your own.
My first teacher that saw my academic potential was my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Vendetti. She recommended that I join the gifted program so my parents signed me up. Here, I learned things more advanced than my fellow classmates and got to have fun working with my hands as well. From here, my 6th grade teacher Mr. Wahonick saw my academic excellence, even requesting that I tutor some struggling students in math. I had several other teachers that saw my potential and encouraged me to grow. This support helped push me to succeed in academics and other areas of my life. It gave me the confidence to try bigger things and I did not disappoint myself with the results.
Another thing that I learned through high school was the importance of a support system. I struggled with anxiety through my 11th and 12th grade years, sometimes to the point where I would hyperventilate and have panic attacks. Once the school understood the problem, they told me I could go to the nurse’s office and do my work in there whenever I felt uncomfortable. This provided a reprieve from the other people around me causing the anxiety. This is something that helps me now. I have a strong support system in place and I relied on it for tough times. Eventually, I learned to rely on myself too.
By learning that there are different methods of learning new material, developing confidence in my academic abilities, and knowing the importance of having a support system in place, I have improved my life for the better. Many elements of who I am, including my ability to learn, strive for academic excellence, and handle tough situations with a support system have stemmed from my education.