Diana Murillo
Education is something a lot of us have trouble in but there are other ways to find the bright side in learning. Personally I’ve always been a girl who likes to move around and be sociable. At first this didn’t really work out for me but with time I learned how to turn these two assets into my advantage. Realizing education can be fun and there can be other ways to approach it.
Since I was little girl, moving around was something that came natural to me. In elementary school my teachers would always tell me “Diana stay still” or “sit down” and it came in through one ear and out the other. It was the topic of my all my parent teacher conferences, even with the teachers that I liked. I would describe myself as hyper outgoing kid that liked to explore every aspect of the room. I was always considered one of the guys until about the 5th grade. My favorite thing to do was climb trees or anything that I can find, until my third I entered the third grade. One day my teacher called my mom saying “Why was I so hyper active?” My mom found it funny because she though being creative was something that you do as a child. This is when I realized I stopped liking school. In my mind I was too much of a child for someone to tell me to stop being a child, it just didn’t make sense. As months went by I realized when it came down to the class activities my teacher had a group of kids she wouldn’t pick on and we were categorized as the “hyper kids”. After that I realized maybe I should just sit down like what my teacher considered being a normal child and just pass on to the next grade.
Moving around wasn’t the only thing my teacher would mention to me, being to sociable was another one of my childhood qualities. I use to love making new friends, talking to people and being curious. My mom told me since I could talk properly all I ever did was asking questions on everything possible under the sun. The thing I didn’t understand was school is for learning the place where all your questions were welcomed but according to my teacher I had too much questions to ask. At one point my mother and I were scared that maybe she wouldn’t pass me. I had to study twice as hard as the other kids because she wouldn’t bother answering my question, and math nor science were my strong points. I would ask my classmates around me but I would still get in trouble.
As a third grader feeling like you were tied down in a chair wasn't an option for me, but rebelling out wasn’t in my character to do so. All I knew was I had to find another way that I could do what made me happy, that when my mommy found me a dancing schools a block away from my house. I choose to learn Salsa because we were always using to the family parties every Friday and Saturday but when it came down to dancing I always opted out. The first day I walked in to the dance studio I felt right at home, salsa had a lot of movement, spins and different movements. Everyone was everywhere and I was a kid in a candy store. My teacher was so proud of me because I caught on fast and she saw I came motivated right after school and tried my best. At first it was hard because I was always stiff but the more I liked it the more I caught on fast. Till today I still dance salsa every chance I can, it’s the place I go to when I can’t stay still. I knew school might not be for me but I was going to make it work. It was my life goal I knew without an education in this country I would be no one. I found ways that interest me. I started going to my friend’s teachers in other classes and asked them questions on anything I didn’t understand. I took tutoring classes one on one, and it was the best moments and I actually understood everything. Learning wasn’t so hard for me anymore. I would go online and practice on the internet and change the ways I learned.
Funny thing is I’m glad I had this experience maybe as a little girl I didn’t see the bigger picture but learning for me is fun. I know what works for me and what doesn’t. For me the worst situation in school is being unhappy and learning a topic I totally dislike. In the video “Do Schools Creativity" Ken Robinson gives us an example how a class that might seem so important to the educational system can be the one thing that can give us happiness and gives us an experience in something different. I love learning new things something I always wanted to learn a new language and when I started college that was my first question. It gives me a fresh start and a look into a different country and their cultures. I’m also going to school to be a nail technician. This has to be one of my favorite parts of the day; I literally sit down and do something I love for hours. Education school wise is something I have to accomplish for me and my future and having fun while doing it is something I enjoy. But, education doesn’t have to be only textbooks it can be something out of the ordinary, something that takes your mind and interest.
Learning wasn’t the easiest thing for me to do as a child but I found ways around it. Not only did I learn how to study and how to like it but I also found other things that can educate me in different aspects. To me education doesn’t have to be just textbooks and teachers, it can be something as simple as drawing. It’s something that opens your mind and teaches you and the best way to educate yourself is by having fun.
Works Cited
Robinson, Ken. Ken Robinson says school kills creativity, TED 2006, Filmed Feb 2006; Posted June 2006, Video recording, TED, 2006, http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
