The Bright Side of Learning by Julia

The Bright Side of Learning by Julia - September 2021 Scholarship Essay

Growing up, I was told that teachers were always there to help you. That’s the purpose of their jobs, is to make sure you're actually learning something and having beneficial experiences in the classroom. However, this is sadly not the case for all teachers.
In one of my first years of junior high, I enrolled in a class outside of my school that I thought would be an interesting experience. I was hoping to learn about a lot of different topics, really engage in class lessons, and get to be around many of my friends. But, only a few days into the class, I start to realize that this teacher isn’t going to be like the other supporting mentors I’ve had in the past. They were dismissive, rude, they didn’t trust us, and most importantly, they had no interest in helping me or any of my classmates. Days went by, weeks, then months, where I was struggling to get my homework done, let alone understand the content. Since this class was going on outside of my normal school hours I had the weight of my regular schoolwork already on my shoulders, along with being a three sport athlete and all the practices and games that came with that.
It took me a while to acclimate to the new learning environment created by this new type of teacher, especially since I was still in the first few years of my junior high career. I learned to rely on myself more rather than certain adults, and I became more open minded to different kinds of study methods that would prove beneficial in these situations. These lessons I carry with me even throughout my senior year of high school, where I create extra notes in my free time, or I look up online books to read through with my classmates if they are having trouble in a class as well. These methods really guided me through the 2020-2021 school year as well, where half of our classes were carried out online due to Covid-19 and the devastating effects it had on the world. Throughout those long months, and even now, I like to utilize these different methods of learning and taking additional notes, which will also guide me through my college education as well. So even though one of my most long lasting beliefs was challenged in the classroom not so long ago, I was able to move past that and see the bright side of learning once again.