Outraged Tears and Critical Thinking by Daniel

Outraged Tears and Critical Thinking by Daniel - May 2014 Scholarship Essay

The best educational advice I ever received was extremely simple, but it was imbibed over a long period of time. “Story time!” my mom would direct me and my sister every afternoon. In the evening after dinner, my dad would read to us as we sat around the table. Eventually my favorite hang out spot in elementary became the library. I received this advice gradually: partially from passionate teachers, partially from enthusiastic librarians, and primarily through the subtle habits and support of my parents. I didn’t realize it then, but this constant and deep-seated message would prove vital to my current and future education. That advice was to read.

The most basic advantage that reading gave me was context. Through picture books, novels, newspapers, and blogs, I received information and ideas about countless topics from many sources. Reading Jeff Shaara’s novels of American wars, written from the point of view of both generals and ‘grunts’, was like turning on a light switch; I started to see the incredible stories and characters hidden under history’s endless dates and names. In class, it became easier to look at long term cause and effect processes and appreciate the content. So in the classroom, this provides me with background and a big-picture scale for what we learn. The context that came from reading also taught me to think critically; different sources gave different twists, and I had to compare and contrast what different authors were telling me. The material I was given in third grade told a heroic story about Columbus, but articles I read in high school said he was a murderer. That made me think!

Besides the practical benefits of context and critical thinking, the advice to read also led me to develop a more generally helpful attitude of dedication. Devoting ten minutes to a news article, two weeks to a bike maintenance handbook, or a year to a fantasy series gave me the stamina to commit to a reading, an assignment, a class, and my education. I learned that I had to strain to understand ideas or tough vocabulary, but that there was a reward! Picking up a skill and finishing a story both feel great. This practice helps me to enjoy learning; reading taught me to value perseverance inside and outside of school.

One last way that reading helped me was by teaching me how to comprehend ideas and react personally. I remember finishing Where the Red Fern Grows in my third grade language arts class and keeping my head down as I went to lunch, hoping no one would notice my furious tears; I was really angry that my teacher hadn’t warned me about the soul-crushing ending! Reading made me care. In my education, this helped me by allowing me to respond to sources after getting a good idea of their purposes and evidence. I grew accustomed to the give-and-take involved in reading and I still apply that process to my assignments.

The skills and values that I learned when I accepted the guidance to read have majorly impacted my education, besides my social and athletic life. Something about it shows me the big picture, makes me care, and makes me stick with it. I’m confident that these life lessons will continue to help me as I continue in higher education and enter the workforce. When I’m in a position to give others advice on education, I know that I will tell them to read.