A Whole Misunderstanding by Virginia

A Whole Misunderstanding by Virginia - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

A Whole Misunderstanding

For many of us who had bad teachers, we often remember them as people who assigned excessive homework, embodied a negative persona, and or taught poorly. Now for sure there is not one person on this planet who has never had an inspiring teacher; one who helps you as a student to explore the world and interpret the curiosities of life in a different way. We can also remember those teachers who taught us valuable lessons that we carry on into adulthood. I remember one lesson from middle school that I will never forget – don’t be so quick to judge.
The incident happened about two years ago when I entered the 8th grade. The sudden transition was not significant; my classes remained unchanged and I only had a couple new teachers added to my schedule. At the time, I thought that I would not have to worry about any issues in my classes. Unfortunately I realized that I was not fond of my new math teacher. During class I had a difficult time understanding the criteria and raising my hand for help. According to me, the teacher had a stern personality, which was why I could not understand his teaching style. For sure he was a nice man and very enjoyable to be around, however in my mind I felt that he was disinterested in me or had excluded me from my peers.
For a long time I did not tell my parents about the situation until I broke down in tears. After I confessed, my mom had set up an appointment to talk with my teacher. The discussion was not like an interrogation however it turned out to be a normal conversation. I was there with her and later found out that my worries were all a misunderstanding. My teacher was left heartbroken after he found out that I had felt that way. He had no intention of leaving a student behind or making them feel less important. Later that day, I noticed that I had made a mistake. I knew that I allowed my emotions to take over and overreacted to someone who was not intentionally mean. Thus I learned that I should not assume the worst out of people because I would fail to notice the good in them.