The Underrecognized Effect by Ifeanyichukwu

The Underrecognized Effect by Ifeanyichukwu - January 2024 Scholarship Essay

On a typical day as lead tutor, kids are coming in and out of room N102 looking for the best explanations of the most recent mathematical concepts. I’d wonder how these kids would not understand these concepts firsthand. We had the best math teacher in the world. I always had classwork completed minutes before the end of class and homework done in short amounts of time after, while being answered correctly. Beyond that, Algebra II just always enhanced what I felt was “my pure understanding of the concepts," so it only made sense to me that the same happened to everyone else too.

Our math teacher, Mr. Talib detailed songs to help us memorize formulas and various types of functions. He was on the board repeatedly, solving numerous problems and showcasing the applications of our findings. He gave us math formula sheets for some of our bi-weekly tests. He would even say, “Ife, come and demonstrate factoring this trinomial on the board,” further inflating my ego.

I felt we had all the tools needed to succeed.

Or so I thought.

It dawned on me that there was one key factor missing, leading to the overall class problem. Communication. Diversified communication.

Founding the tutoring club allowed me to truly figure it out. It was only after I talked to multiple students, hearing the multiple approaches to solving math, that I acknowledged that everyone needs to be taught in a different way.

In the beginning, it was frustrating. I felt I was putting my all into making sure my classmates understood the intricacies. But I had to look through different lenses. I became more careful with my words and more impactful with my explanations. I became more mindful of my writing and more succinct with the numbers and formulas used to get to my answers.

Problems started appearing in different spheres. The binomial theorem became involved with a quadratic polynomial, later taking positive and negative x values. The results were endless and really showed that there’s always a correlation to be made. The virtues of empathy, patience, and adaptability were being etched more complexly into my system. Effort, perspicacity, and attentiveness were being amplified in the way I communicate, act, and lead.

Leadership and communication have become my personal critics. They force me to constantly weigh the pros and cons of my explanations and thoughts. They have taught me to look inward and out. I think holistically and weigh the different thought processes of every student. It has shown me the importance of listening, not just hearing. I’ve been able to interact and contribute to my school in other ways my shy and introverted self would have never imagined. But most importantly, I’ve been able to groom myself into a better leader, student, friend, and teacher.