Education Journey Map
Education is a never-ending process with a variety of
influences and transitions. You are exposed to a wide range of objects, people,
locations, ideas, regulations, and more when you are young. You eventually
begin to see that there is a pattern of needing to evolve. You may experience a
lot of uncomfortable moments in the process, but eventually you will forget how
terrible they were since they begin to seem normal. Naturally, I learned at
home, depending entirely on my mother and family from the time I was a baby
until toddlerhood. Leaving the house to start a new "normal" is how I
want to start reflecting on my educational journey. As it started in Head
Start, it was a strange place with strange individuals who were now spending a
few hours instructing me. At this age, I was introduced to a new environment
where I shared a space with other children, learning socializing and working
together. It was a time of play and care. Eventually, once I shook off the nervousness
I learned to enjoy and look forward to heading to Head Start.
That, of course, didn't last long because I finally moved on
to kindergarten. When I was younger, I had no idea what transitions meant. Kindergarten
seemed much more daunting when I first started, in my memory. I would describe
it as a time where I felt the feeling of separation more than ever. I thought
this facility called “school” was huge. I was scared to enter this large brick
structure because it looked intimidating. Time became more apparent, everything
seemed new again, and now I’m learning about fulfilling classroom expectations.
This is a time where I am also told that I am a “big girl”, and so more new
things kept popping up. I was introduced to the yellow bus at this point, that
felt like a fun ride in a big bus, but time yet again was stressed.
Fortunately, the staff was friendly, and the snacks were delicious.
We then move on to middle school, which I would best sum up
in one word: chaotic. Middle school was too much. Getting used to the time
blocks, the higher deliverable expectations, and interacting with people. It
seemed like survival was the main goal of middle school. Learning was less
imaginative and less adaptable to difficulties in the classroom. The fact that
the class period seemed to be divided between learning and discipline didn't
help either. I must admit that the level of hostility from my classmates
irritated me. I wished time would fly because there were so many arguments, fights,
rumors, and other incidents that were disruptive. My favorite classes in middle
school were my Italian and art classes. Respectable teachers who cultivated
sincere relationships taught both classes. For these educators, the subjects
they were instructing in held great significance. My "artistic"
ability was discovered at this point, and I had the good fortune to have art
for three years. The same was true for my Italian class; I had a strong bond
with my teacher, and their genuine approach to teaching the language inspired
me to value and care for the time I was spending learning it. I am appreciative
of the classes that provided an engaging learning environment.
Lastly, I had a long-term learning experience as a member of
the Rhode Island College Crusade, which is now called Onward. I participated in
this program from the fourth grade until my senior year of high school. It was
designed for low-income families, like mine, who aspired to attend college in
the future. They provided an advisor that was available to me throughout the
duration of middle school and high school. Along with helping with checking in,
they would provide tools to help with managing academic responsibilities and
after-school programs to help students learn and advance in their academic
careers. Opportunities including summer camps, college visits, SAT preparation,
and more were offered. The program also acted as a resource for me and other
students who were applying for our first jobs. In addition to other advice, my
advisor would provide lessons on time management and interview techniques. The
experience fulfilled its objective by providing me with exposure to
opportunities that I doubt I would have discovered otherwise. The college
crusade presented challenges to my introverted personality, so the experience
wasn't always perfect. Even though it was difficult, it did aid in my growth in
the areas I needed to get ready for the workforce. Eventually, this program
that had invested in me also hired me to work as part of the enrollment team
and then as a study skills instructor. I became interested in working in this
field because of being able to immerse myself even more in the non-profit work.
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