I remember growing up and hating school. Of course there were things I liked about it like seeing my friends, decorating my locker, holiday parties, watching baby chicks hatch in the second grade, recess, etc. But learning itself I did not enjoy. I hated writing in cursive, reading chapter books, having group projects, doing math homework, or doing homework at all. I hated going through the motions of computer class, figuring out if I should use nosotros or ustedes to conjugate, and I especially hated taking tests. Mostly I hated it because I wasn’t good at it. I was always a little behind in my mind. You know the girl who gets pulled out of class to get help on her hand writing and math. The girl who gets extra time on her test cause she’s slow… That was me. In high school I was the average student. The student who got B’s most of the time occasionally the A or C God forbid I got a D or even worse an F. I even got asked to be in a college preparatory class cause they saw a lot of “potential” in me, but we all know what that really means. In college I failed college math twice. The only way I got through it the second time was because some genius created Quizlets from every test with the exact answers on it. Little did I realize what an opportunity school actually was.
I had special princess and puppy folders for every class. A pencil pouch with much more than pencils in it. A new backpack every year. Cute lacy socks that I wore everyday…the list goes on. In high school I was involved in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities, I drove myself to school in my dream 1962 Chevy truck, and was overwhelmed with the thought of what outfit I should wear the next day. It wasn’t until college that I really began to value my education. Not only was I attending a university, but a university out of state AND my parents paid for the whole thing. I didn’t think I was anything special until I realized how many of my fellow classmates and friends were paying for their education on their own.
After my freshmen year I also began really loving my learning curriculum. Once all the general credits were finished I was able to choose my own schedule. Classes that taught content I was actually interested in. This was the first time I enjoyed being in the classroom. I was studying Human Development and Family Sciences with a focus in International Studies. My elective classes I choose through my International Studies focus became a real interest to me. I started learning about different cultures, people, and histories throughout the world. It taught me just how blessed I was. I learned that most kids around the world have to pay crazy fees to go to school, walk hours just to get there, and pay even more for uniforms and supplies when they are already struggling to feed themselves.
Why am I telling you this now? Because I am experiencing it. This month I have had the opportunity to teach English at a local kindergarten in Rwanda. These kids have a hunger to learn. They cherish their time at school even if they don’t have the paper to participate, or the food to nourish their attention spans. They don’t have fancy pencil pouches, computer classes, or even a different outfit to wear each day. Many of them don’t even have a snack to bring to school. Often times, the director of the school pays the teachers out of pocket because the families are unable to pay the five dollar monthly fee. My goal in sharing this with you is in hopes that you will be filled with thankfulness. Education is something I think many Americans take for granted because it’s an expectation, but it is also one of the greatest opportunities we have.
I also want to give a shout out to some of my best friends who have gone on to be educators. I am so proud of ya’ll. Not just for the profession you’ve chosen but also for how much heart and soul you put into teaching those kids every day. Education is where it all starts. Keep kickin’ booty, you all are invaluable. Love ya’ll.
Thanks for reading!
Katie
