What does Education mean to you? Anyone can easily say education to them is to get knowledge, to learn about something one did not know yesterday, or to learn a trade toward a career. I am not one to disagree with anyone’s opinion on why education is needed and every day is a new learning experience but what does education mean to me? Was it the same as the person next to me? A young kid from Bushwick, Brooklyn, the product of Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican parents– hands down my educational experience was a limbo between who I am and what I needed to learn. Even with this adversity, it has also made me stronger and eager to strive.
Growing up with my mother believe it or not, we spoke English in my house– English is our first language. Even before enrolling to school– “Garcia? English or Spanish forms?” Never ending situation till this day. The question is always in the air on whether I was born here or born “over there” but I knew that “over there” was actually a car ride away. I feel that my life through school was always a test to prove I belong with everyone else and not thrown in ESL class where “they thought” I belong. In the 5th grade I had a teacher Mrs. Silvas I will never forget her. She was in her 60’s then, always well dressed with red lipstick and the most beautiful pearl. Something about her that caught all us 10-11 years old attention. She made learning fun, she didn’t care if you were white, purple, black, or yellow everyone learned the same way. Reading all the Harry Potter books was long but joyful. 20 plus years later she stood with me, especially when it was time to start a new task she would make us do 20 jumping jakes– “Lets go! Wake up! Time to think” I never understood as a kid why jumping around would make me think better but I guess it now. After reading “I just wanna be Average” by Mike Rose I smiled because he talked about his neighborhood and how each teacher had their own way of teaching but each teacher stood with him. Especial his teacher Jack MacFarland remained me so much of my teacher– taught their heart out and pushed their students when no one else cared. They brought the life back into teaching and became the light that some students need.
School was never really my best friend at the end of the day, did lots of “getting by” if I got a 65 or higher it would definitely keep my mom off my back. Also there was no real push at home to continue studying or going forward- I only have one cousin that went to school forever, everyone else dropped out. I would always joke with her and say “You went to college for all of us”, she has 3 degrees. At 19 I tried to go to my local community college to start somewhere, Liberal Arts. It was tough, I had no motivation or structure to succeed. I had this one teacher in high school I can not forget though every time I felt like I was going to slack off, Mr. Verdi. Mr. Verdi was a short man, with light brown hair, and green eyes, gentle eyes never had a loud voice but he was as real as they come. He is no longer with us anymore in this earth but he would always say “Garcia, it is up to you if you want to success no one else is going to do it for you– I am not because I did all my work to be a teacher no one helped me. I can only guide you, you have to do the work” is that not the truth? “Get out of my head Verdi” as I smiled at the sky. He motivated me to get my lazy behind back into school. No one will do the work that I need to do to show my children that is education, with all the obstacles are worth the fight. In the words of Stephon Hobson, “Without the books I read, I wouldn’t know other peoples methods of motivation to overcome obstacles.” When I read this quote I thought to myself , he is absolutely correct because without education we wouldn’t know what other people did to move forward.
Life has thrown so many wrenches my way and I am witness because I had to take cover every time. It is okay to postpone your goals sometimes just as long as you don’t put them on the back burner. I will always be on the fence about my approach to school but I know that college is a big must toward my goals. I am forever grateful for my culture and hardship that gave me the strength I need to say “Her I got this!” Because like Mr. Verdi says here and there “No one is going to help you but you.” Thank you.
I like your first draft for unit 1. I think it flows very well and you also paint a very vivd description of your teachers which I enjoyed.
thank you so much for your kind words!