In seventh grade, I failed nearly all three of my English classes. I read the books, but never applied the knowledge I learned from them, making it difficult for me to understand and answer the questions on the assignments and tests. Additionally, I was convinced that I’d never be exceptional at English; that it wasn’t my fault, it was the teacher’s or the subject’s. Ensuing, I realized the true cause of my unacceptable grades- me. I acknowledged that a change needed to be made, but I wasn’t sure I was capable of fixing them.
However, once I started putting forth the effort, schoolwork became less of a chore and more of an opportunity to expand my knowledge. Throughout the rest of middle school and high school, this determination and positive mindset allowed me to gain the utmost from my courses. Not only did I excel in math, but my secret love of history revealed itself. Above all, I’ve passed all of my classes since with the grades that I’m proud of. Unfortunately, I had always dismissed the idea of going to college, which is why I allowed my grades to be poor in the first place. Recently, however, I embraced my love of education, and have been working adamantly towards my goal of becoming a teacher.
My goal is to encourage students in a way I wish my teachers had encouraged me. Instead of just memorizing the material, I want my future students to be able to recognize the importance of it and to persist even when the concepts seem impossible to learn. Empathy, kindness, and authenticity are skills I hope to someday display in my classroom. In order for students to excel in school, they need to feel comfortable and capable of learning. It is my dream to change lives the way so many of my teachers changed mine. I’m confident that this is the right journey for me.
