Important Lesson I learned from a Teacher by Veronica

Important Lesson I learned from a Teacher by Veronica - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

The most important lesson I learned from a teacher is to be passionate about my interests in order to achieve my goals. While in school I did not really know which career to pursue; however, I knew I enjoyed sports. People would tell me math came easy to me, once I learned the concepts, and I knew reading and writing were not my forte because I struggled in these assignments. From what I can recall the subjects that were given more importance were the core subjects (math, science, English, and reading). Art, physical education, and music, the ancillary classes or as some people call them “fun classes,” were considered less important. However, I enjoyed going to these classes, particularly physical education. I loved getting dressed, working out, and pushing myself. This was probably not something a lot of girls enjoyed, but I loved it!

When I was in sixth grade, the basketball coaches held an after school camp. Basketball had been my favorite sport since second grade, and I decided to attend the camp to improve my shooting skills. One day after camp, I stayed after all of the other attendees had left and continued shooting. One of the coaches was observing and gave me tips on my shooting. Before I was about to leave, this coach complimented me on how good of a player I was, and informed me that if I set my mind to it I had the ability to go far. At the time I did not understand what he meant, but I never forgot his words of encouragement and kindness.
Although I never made it onto a school team, the coach’s belief in me helped me to pursue other athletic activities. I became involved in fencing and martial arts, where learning to be a team player and being respectful of others were key points. I realized that sports were important to me and something I needed to pursue.

Participating in sports taught me how to work with others and helped me develop good leadership skills. This in turn, encouraged me to coach. I became involved in assistant coaching for a little league soccer team, where I taught and encouraged the children to do their best while teaching them the skills needed to play the sport. Soon after, I began working as a lifeguard. I had the opportunity to observe swim coaches. This helped me build knowledge about coaching students in swimming and helped me develop additional coaching skills. I began to instruct my own students on improving their strokes and becoming faster swimmers.

After years of schooling, working, and finding myself, I learned that physical education is my forte; I have both, the aptitude for this area and a passion for it. Though working with students is not easy, in regards to physical education it is something I really enjoy. Once I found my interest, I decided become a physical education teacher. I want to teach students the importance of making physical education part of your life. Like the coach who encouraged me, I too want to encourage future generations to be passionate about their interests and follow their dreams.

In retrospect, I am grateful to the coach who encouraged me to follow my dreams and do the best that I could, on and off the court. This has helped me to become the person, leader, and coach that I am today, and hope to improve on. I continue to learn not just from other coaches, but from the students who teach me something every day. Working with children is a privilege and a huge responsibility; and it is not easy, but when you are doing something you like, it is a wonderful thing to do.