What I Imagine by Vicki

What I Imagine by Vicki - October 2014 Scholarship Essay

Imagine a room where little distractions can be seen or heard. A room where there is other students trying to reach a similar goal and where there’s a teacher wanting to assist you to his or her greatest ability. The only conversations you would hear are quiet ones about a question on the assignment or maybe a few but quiet casual discussions. I envision a bright room with a couple motivating posters taped onto the wall, and a clock hanging in front of the room. My desk has no engravings and the table is large enough to hold a couple spread out papers.

Classrooms differ from class to class. What exactly affects the success in my education can stretch from the lighting of the classroom to the way the teacher proctors class. For example, I remember my history class in which I sat in the front (I much prefer the front row). The color of the wall was of a dull tan and the lights seemed as though they provided only half of what they were capable of. The clock hung to my right and it made the class feel miserably longer. On top of that, my teacher had a monotone voice and his notes were read verbatim. I passed the class but the setting wasn’t the cause. Rather, the setting made me often feel sleepy or unfocused. I didn’t feel engaged in the learning process. On the contrary, all I really had to do was copy the notes down from the Smart Board and maybe listen to a few side notes. I often hated my handwritten notes because I didn’t like my teacher’s teaching style. Because of this, I would go home and type my notes and only then would the new information sink in. It was as though I was teaching myself the topic. When we had independent work, the class wouldn’t just work on the assignment. They took out their phones and texted or spoke about other subject that were frequently not even school related. Their voices only added to the unnecessary background noise that I had to hear. Plugging in my ear buds and listening to music was my way of trying to focus on the assigned class work. My teacher of course tried to get the class under his control, but I could tell he was aggravated from his numerous and repeating attempts. Sure, he was willing to help those who wanted the help, but I felt as if my own success was mainly derived from my own effort.

Ideals are unlikely to be achievable, but they’re not impossible to get close to. One instance would be my chemistry class; the complete opposite of my history class. The lighting was bright and practically at its max and it was always cold. The likelihood of me falling asleep because of the classroom itself was seldom. My teacher (He’s among my favorites) always came into class having an upbeat attitude and connected to his students easily. Funny and ready to engage everyone in the learning process, I looked forward to chemistry class every day. His teaching style was just right for me. I understood the content while he made further explanations; I rarely felt lost while learning the new topics. My fellow classmates (oh how I miss them all) were all studious individuals. Casual conversations couldn't be avoided, but work always got done on time. Everything about this class made time fly by. Even though the clock was located behind me, I didn't need it. By the time I referenced to it, class was about to end in a few minutes. I could honestly say that this class was the closest I have gotten to my ideal classroom setting yet.

I may one day experience my ideal classroom, where everyone is engaged to learn new things and where I’m looking forward to class each day. On the other hand, I may have to sit in a class and force myself to focus and learn. One thing is for sure though. The classes that I remember enjoying were the ones that made time fly by and were the classes that taught me things outside of class. Such things included improving time management, thinking outside of the box, and taking on an extra challenge. Those very classes are a part of the various factors that will help me become successful in not only my educational learning, but also in my life experiences.