Success through failure by Michelle

Success through failure by Michelle - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

I have wanted to teach secondary mathematics since I was in high school. Now, I’m nearing the end of my college career and this dream is almost a reality. I wanted to make a difference, no matter how big or small it was. Although I can’t say that the road to this career has been easy.
During the course of my secondary education, mathematics was not only easy for me, but I tended to understand it quickly. However, once I began college, it was different. College level mathematics was hard and I struggled. I struggled so much that there was a time when I failed a course. The first F I have received in my life. And that threw me; I did not know how to react to failing a course or having to retake it. This was territory that was completely new to me. I took the summer to reflect on what I wanted and talk it through with those closest to me. Was this still what I wanted? As it turns out the answer was yes, I still wanted to teach secondary mathematics. So, when I returned to the university for fall quarter, I was determined to push myself to think positively. I was not going to let my past failure determine my future. This time, I found study spaces that worked best for me, where I wouldn’t get distracted and learned the best. I frequently visited the tutoring center on campus to make sure I completely understood the information I was learning in class. I even retook the class I failed, resulting in a much higher grade. However, the grade wasn’t the only thing I improved on. The second time around, I understood the concepts much more and felt confident moving on to the class that built upon this one.
This experience taught me to persevere and that it’s okay to not succeed the first time, as long as you get up and try again. It will also help me in my career as a teacher. I will have more compassion and understanding when students are struggling in my class because I too was once a struggling student. I will work harder to find ways to help my students understand the concepts because everyone learns differently and at different paces.