Author: Ra (Page 2 of 3)

While reading Mike Rose’s “I Just Wanna Be Average” one thing I found interesting was although Mike is used to speaking a different language he adapts to the curriculum fairly well. He is also able to see the struggles of the other students mainly due to the harsh learning environment with terrible instructors. Since Mike isn’t from that environment he is able to clearly distinguish that their teaching style is flawed and is failing most of the students. A few things I found similar were that Jamila was also faced with people who judged her for her differences and how just because she is from a different culture doesn’t mean that she retains information different from them. She further explains how when people who here her talk informally or in her language judge her and question her intelligence, however if they went to someone who spoke that certain way or spoke English how Europeans speak it they would look down upon them

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My experiences with education in the past have been slightly disappointing. When I first started going to school I lived in Queens, I often transferred schools not due to any real particular reason it’s just that my parents would change their mind about a school really frequently. This caused me to not really build any relationship with any of the teachers or students I’ve met because I felt as though it wouldn’t last so there was no point. After I graduated 8th grade I moved to the Bronx to start highschool, again I felt as though building a bond with anyone would be pointless. However, after my first year 2 years I realized I’m going to be here to stay and I urged myself to make the best with where I am. I became more interactive in the classroom and attempted to participate more, and since I was more engaged in the classroom my level of understanding of the topic increased.

I feel as though my educational experience has taken lots of twists and turns to get to where I am today, but I feel as though if I didn’t go through those experiences I wouldn’t have been the same person today. Back when I was going to school in Queens school would often be a drag, I would sit in the back of the classroom barely paying attention or drawing in my notebook. However, it wasn’t till after class when I would go to the library where I felt my actual education took place. In my eyes I wasn’t a real bookworm or anything. It’s just that when I lived in Queens I didn’t have TV or Internet so I went to the library to play on the computers. After some time I discovered Japanese comic or graphic novels also known as manga, I became obsessed with the art design, plot, and storytelling and even got to relate to a few characters. I learned from Stephon Hobson that it’s beneficial to find books/characters you can relate to because they could’ve gone through the same hardships and experiences as you and could give you some foresight on how to go about the path you wish to choose. Even if that may be an author’s fictional character it could still affect a person’s mindset or perception on how to view their life. This helped me to keep a positive attitude even when I felt isolated.

As my educational experience continued I found myself in high school, around my second year attending school I started to attempt to engage in the classroom. Although I was hesitant, I began asking questions when I needed more explanation or clarification. I also started to understand what I was reading instead of just temporarily absorbing the knowledge I was given for a test then forget it the day after. Before I knew it instead of learning what I needed to learn I was understanding what the purpose is for it and applying it to life. As Toni Morrison once said “The words on the page are only half the story, says Toni Morrison. The rest is what you bring to the party.” To read her words it could mean anything depending on the reader’s interpretation, however the message she wanted to get across remains the same.

Allow me to end by saying, whether you find yourself in a situation you think is hopeless or you feel like you are not performing your best in school, if you make the best of it you will succeed. By actually trying and attempting to understand and not just accepting it and ignoring it you are able to change your situation and allow yourself to do better.

My experiences with education in the past have been slightly disappointing. When I first started going to school I lived in Queens, I often transferred schools not due to any real particular reason it’s just that my parents would change their mind about a school really frequently. This caused me to not really build any relationship with any of the teachers or students I’ve met because I felt as though it wouldn’t last so there was no point. After I graduated 8th grade I moved to the Bronx to start high school, again I felt as though building a bond with anyone would be pointless. However, after my first year 2 years I realized I’m going to be here to stay and I urged myself to make the best with where I am. I became more interactive in the classroom and attempted to participate more, and since I was more engaged in the classroom my level of understanding of the topic increased. I learned that by regardless of the situation, if you are determined to learn and you socialize with the person/people your learning from and learning with you get a better understanding by viewing their perspective.