Learning example essay topic

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of life? Why you are here and what you were born to do? When I was born I did not have the slightest idea of what was going on just like any other child born on that day. The lessons and experiences I would eventually go through, and am still experiencing up until this exact moment, show that everyone in life has there purpose. One of the first important things my mother and father ever told me, that I actually listened to, was that everyone on this earth was born with the same opportunity as you. It's just a matter of how each individual utilizes that oppurtunity to want to make something of them self.

I knew from that point on that I had a purpose of being here. When I was real little the first things I can remember learning was names, numbers, and colors. I don't think I was sure exactly what 'to learn' was, but I do remember any and everything Barney. Who would have ever thought that a big purple dinosaur who sang and dance would get kids to learn? Barney definately taught me many things that I probably don't even realize today that I still remember. When I was in kindergarten a teacher from another class would always invite us over on fridays to watch Reading Rainbow.

I was ext atic about that. My eyes were so wide at that show because the reading would come to life. It wasn't just words on paper it was like I could see it. To a five year old who couldn't read yet that made me eager to want to learn to read. One thing I remember always happening in kindergarten was when we would learn how to write. Our teacher would give us these papers with a letter of the alphabet written on it in different ways.

We would copy it all the times it was on there and then turn it in. We were so excited to write that we would race to see who would turn in our papers first. It was so much fun to write. Just thinking about that makes me laugh at how excited we were. All through my elementary years the whole theme of school was learning how to write and read better.

I didn't know anything else about the world. I was constantly wanting to check out books, write stories, and just do whatever had to do with literature. As middle school approached more was put out in front of you to get involved in to get in they way of the learning experience. You had the option of playing sports, acting in plays, being in the band, and singing in the choir. Reading became a thing that took up too much time or time that you didn't even have.

Writing became a chore, like something you had to do in class. For such a long time I was the girl who was excited to go to Books-A-Million with my aunt and uncle, to the girl who had a track meet at five o'clock and a student council meeting at nine. Even though reading and writing were always still there it just didn't appeal to me as much. I mean, I was still getting my daily dose in movies made from books and forced essays and journal entries. But it just wasn't the same.

There was no one who showed me how much I could still enjoy reading but in a grown up way. Being in school with eleven to thirteen year olds is a challenge. You are going through puberty and learning about yourself. But at times you just want to do your own thing and you end up having to learn the hard way.

I constantly had to learn things the hard way because I have a hard head and won't do something unless I am told. And even if someone does that I still might not do it. That's why when high school rolled around I knew focus would be a main key in me learning anything. I think for me to learn something I need for the person who is trying to teach me needs to be understanding of how difficult it is for a student to want to learn. There is no motivation for students who are discouraged and do not realize the benefits of school period. My favorite book that I read in high school is 'Of Mice and Men'.

I would have never picked that book out of the library to read for no reason. And given the fact that we had to take a quiz over every chapter and then an exam I could have just read the cliff notes. Instead of just telling us to read our teacher had us go around and we would 'popcorn' read and he would tell us to act out what the reader is feeling as we read. I though that was so cool. It was fun to see everyone in to the book. Sometimes it got so great that we wouldn't even hear the lunch bell ring.

After doing those reading in class I would go home and just read more on my own. Yes I believe it is sad that you can't just tell a bunch of seniors to read some chapters, but I believe I am the learner that I am because of little jest ures and activities like that. In high school I was still busy with all the extracurricular activities. All anyone could think about was getting through and running off to college. I was introduced to crowds and cliques. It was a wake up call and I had to adapt very quickly and learn about balancing priorities and things of that nature.

I think every minute of my freshman year I was learning something new and different. I learned more about how people acted the way they did and what I needed to do to get my attitude straight. Going to class seemed like a waste of time. Nothing appealed to me that I thought would benefit in the real world. Being an adolescent you always want to know 'why' this and 'why ' that. Classes I did enjoy though were english and history.

I think those classes got through, because I was always in a class with my friends. I didn't want to appear dumb in front of them. So I would always do my work and appear to get my work done in a timely manner. High school went great my freshman and sophomore years. I was homecoming duchess, vice-president of my class, I was a freshman playing varcity basketball and running varcity track. I was in the "In" crowd.

I had white friends and black friends. I had band friends and jock friends. I was cool with the upperclassmen and the lower classmen. I went to parties, but did the right thing.

All I ever thought about was how great this all is. But then one day it all just hit me. I failed Algebra. All I could think about was how could this happen.

What have I been doing? What am I going to do about this? How could I let my parents down? It may not seem like a big deal to most people, but I had goals set and people depending and looking up to me and it was such an embarassment. You would think I would have it all together right? I blew it all.

I was ineligible for the district track meet my biggest meet of the year. I lost my car and all privaledges. But even through all that the biggest embarassment was just plain failing. How could a person who has learned so much up until their junior year not apply themself? If you think I am getting off subject stay with me, because this has everything to do with learning and literacy. You are taught right and wrong your whole life.

You learn to read and write when you are real little and then when you get a little older you are expected to just continue doing those things. If people were always expected to do those things then why to grown men and women go back to college and high school and come from out of retirement back to work? Because we are human beings and we want to learn. That's how we got to this point today. Being curious and question ative. I think if I didn't have that turning point to make me want to work harder and find out what my purpose is than I think I would still be trying to find what clique or crowd to jump into.

Since arriving here at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi I think I have been given the opportunity to change my life. I am one of millions fortunate enough to live out my dream of running track and going to school on scholarship. But then there is this part of me that wants to turn around and go back home and change the things I have learned and become a better learner. Now that I am here I feel like the cycle of boredom has begun all over again. Assigned readings with no point. Just take your book home and read read read, and we will put together a quiz that always seems to never include anything you thought you read.

I believe it is important role for a teacher to be a marketer. Sell me your product and make me want to learn. I know it is not the job of the teacher to MAKE someone want to learn, but what are all the teacher's teaching for then? At the end of my paper someone will revise it and give me their opinion. And so the cycle continues on learning and accepting a new idea. But how can someone revise the things I am writing that I have already been through and learned?

So as I continue on in my life I know I will continue to develop into a more literate human being and be faced with many opportunities. I hope that the things I do learn, though, will shape me into the person that I am striving to be. And that person will be one who will still learn for the rest of her life..