Blanco 1 Aimee Blanco Yon Hui Bell English 1301 8 June 2017 Education Essay When I see the rest of the world and how difficult it is for some people to attain an education, it makes me appreciate the opportunities that this country provides me in that endeavor. Education, at least in the United States, is such a huge part of life. Students spend at least twelve years in school. I did the math and that is 17,280 hours. Think of how much of an impact schooling and its environment has on a person. Those 17,280 hours can be the best or worst times of a students life and I am pleased to say that mine were the former. My education has been a positive experience because I have always gone to superior schools, I was able to learn diverse subjects, and I got to participate in extracurricular activities. I have been fortunate to have gone to very safe and engaging schools throughout my education. Most schools I attended were public, although, I also attended a charter school at one time. Often times, public schools get a negative reputation because there are no students that are “weeded out” however, my public school experience was nothing but positive. In addition to the diversity of students, public schools are free and as someone from a low income family, I was able to have the same educational opportunities as everyone else. I also attended a middle school in which we were required to walk through metal detectors upon entering the school. This may seem extreme but it actually made me feel safer knowing that nothing was going to come Blanco 2 through those doors to hurt me without being caught. The charter school I went to was not much different in instruction. The difference was that it implemented policies to actively eliminate distractions. Though it may seem odd, the school had only two classes for each grade level- a boy class and a girl class. This was so that schoolboy crushes wouldn't hinder anyone’s learning. To avoid the distraction of bullying, the school had a uniform policy. Some didn’t care for it, but I didn’t mind it. It helped me focus on what I was there for. My father’s job requires him to move around every few years. Because of this, I have attended schools in two different states and before then, I was unaware that schools in different states learn slightly different things. What I was taught in my History classes in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for example, was different from that of, say, Dallas, Texas. In Albuquerque, I learned much about the Native Americans of the area. In Dallas, Texas, I learned about the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo. Although the two states border each other, they each have its own history. It was hard but I am no longer ignorant to the possibility of there being culture outside of Texas. Not only was the material different but also the standardized testing was structured differently. In Texas, we take the STAAR and the test mostly consists of multiple choice questions. In New Mexico, the test is called the SBA or Standard Based Assessment and the majority of those questions are free response. It was an adjustment but it has made it easier to learn in college knowing I am able to adjust to learning styles and material depending on the professor. School days are long and that can make a kid antsy, so I found an escape in sports and clubs. When I was in elementary school, I used to have to stay at an after school club until my parents came to pick me up. There wasn't much to do but homework and that got boring after a Blanco 3 while. My friend had the idea to try out for a team and I’d always been interested in basketball so I tried out and to my surprise, I made it. It quickly became my greatest love. So much so that I played it all through elementary, middle school, and high school. In middle school, I also took up soccer in the off seasons. In relation to sports, I also enjoyed the FCA club which stands for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. We’d meet in a classroom and read scripture, discuss topics and sing songs. It was a fun way to hang out with other athletes and friends in a safe environment. Not only did I have fun playing the sports and participating in FCS, but I also had great coaches. One of my coaches, Coach Booker, or Coach B, was my basketball and soccer coach in elementary in Dallas, Texas. He was always so encouraging and supportive in everything I did whether it was sports, choir, or just my homework on a regular afternoon. I remember one time having a bad day and telling my teacher I was going to the restroom, however I found myself in the gym. Seeing I was upset, Coach B, bounced a basketball at me and said, “How about a game of HORSE?” He let me win of course and then walked me back to class and covered for me with my teacher. I have long since moved away from Dallas but we still keep in touch on social media and such and he still calls me his favorite point guard. He may or may not know the impact he has had on my life but I do and I’m grateful for it. Everyone’s deserves to get an education, though everyone’s educational journey is different. I can only speak for myself when I say I have been fortunate to have had such a positive experience in my schooling. From adjusting to different schools and subject matter to dribbling a ball up and down a court, my education, in every aspect, has molded me to be the person I am today.
