When I was 5 years old I stepped into a classroom for the first time. It was a wonderful experience. I had a fun, loving teacher and many new friends. I went to school at Francestown Elementary School; in small, rural Francestown, New Hampshire. This is where I fell off the fire tower and though I was going to die as I hit the ground, where I learned to write and read, where a learned to do math, and first learned about the beautiful world around me. I was eight years old when my parents got a divorce. This dramatically changed my school experience. I went from being excited about learning, to very distracted; which lead to very discouraged. I fell behind in reading, writing, and math. I just couldn't memorize my multiplication table, and I struggled with spelling causing me to dislike reading.
The summer before 5th grade I moved to a new town. I was now in Amherst, New Hampshire which was a larger suburban town. The first two years were slow, but for the most part I had very kind, patient teachers. There was one teacher each year that made me cry, so I disliked them and their classes. Once I reached 7th grade something started to change. After having mainly compassionate teachers, I started to care again. I finally was able to get math! After 7th grade I continued to excel. I still felt I struggled with reading and writing, but I had an amazing teacher named Mr.Evens that helped me enjoy it anyway. Science and Social Studies were always interesting and I continued to feel confident in those areas of study.
High school soon came and I felt like I needed more. I cared about school, but I cared more about my social life; I also started working at the age of 15. Between friends and work I didn't find much time for homework. My parents couldn't really enforce any rules on me, so I mostly did as I pleased. I felt this was fine, but some of my teachers would call me lazy. This annoyed me. I would always do well on their tests and quizzes, getting A's and B's; I just didn't understand why they wouldn't give me a break. I had the ability to be an A/B student but ended up being a B/C student because I usually couldn't get my homework done. I enjoyed theater while I was in high school, it connected me to the school community though something other than academics. I think it helped me care a little more about how I did.
Now I am in College and have worked hard to get where I am. I learned to like reading, and now read for fun at times. That is something I didn't think I would do. I feel like having to read so much for each of my classes closed gaps that had been there since Elementary school. Until Champlain, I would never finish a book. I would always be able to actively participate in the conversations, and my teachers thought I had read, but I never really did. I was just skilled pulling pieces from what others had said and expanding on them. I feel that I have a greater appreciation for Education and see the value it has, this was not always the case. I'm glad my perspective has changed, because I now know that education is one of the most important things there is, and being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in our society. With out good teachers we would have less good people. I have found in my time working with children it is the most rewarding thing I can be doing. Even on stressful days I remember the difference I make in the lives of those I teach.
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