The Peers That Were Teachers by Brianna

The Peers That Were Teachers by Brianna - May 2015 Scholarship Essay

Last year, I took AP Calculus. Our AP Calculus teacher didn’t really teach us very much in class, so we ended up needing to have a study group to try to make it through the year with that class. I didn’t really think of having a study group because I felt we were all so lost in the class that we would end up getting nothing done or just socializing instead of studying. One of my friends and classmates got it started and that is how I received a good grade in that class. I know it is cliché, but two minds are greater than one, three is better, and so on. My classmates helped me learn and understand calculus while I also helped them understand the math. Not only did my peers help me learn the academic lessons which were supposed to be taught by our teacher, but they also helped me learn the academic skill of study groups.

Before last year, I never really was in a “study group.” Any form of a “study group” that I was in was whatever group I was put into for a project, assignment, etc. My peers helped me figure out the organization of a study group and the importance it can have on a grade and the understanding of the subject. Because of this, I also learned how important it is to make connections in classes so that if I were to need help on an assignment or something similar, I would not be left all alone. I am generally a shy person, so it can be hard for me to make connections with people I just recently met, but this whole experience has also encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and make new and more friends in college. Without that study group, I am sure I would have gotten a “C” in that class, a two on the AP test, and zero understanding of the usefulness of a study group.