Personal Statement
Prompt: Describe a problem you've solved or you'd like to solve: an intellectual challenge; ethical dilemma; or research query; anything of personal importance. Explain its significance to you and what steps were (or could be) taken to identify a solution.
Minimum 250 - Maximum 650.
Minimum 250 - Maximum 650.
Hot cars are dangerous for young children. Hot cars with the windows barely cracked not parked in the shade are deadly. Yet neither are as lethal as sitting in a hot car sun blazing down windows slightly cracked getting a lecture from my grandma on never getting into college. That was the first day of summer before sixth grade. Sitting in the car waiting for my sister to get out of high school and listening to my grandma drone on and on about my report card of straight C’s. It was a terrible lecture that no ten year old should ever endure. Especially for one who hated school, one that did not care even in the slightest because what does it matter? School was only good for recess and lunch anyway. I needed a hero, a savior. Someone to rescue me from the desperate situation in which I found myself. What I did not realize was that one such hero was the one subjecting me to this monotonous torture.
I bounced back, I was awoken from my slumber and in the end I became my own hero, assisted by the many that pushed in my rise from the desolate ashes of academic failure. I had been sucked up in the glorious tornado that is family support and future dreams then chucked out with my pants on my head and my shirt on my legs, but I had it figured out―I had become one with school, embraced learning, and my teachers. But what of the others, the ones that have yet to have their educational epiphany? The ones that have not been, and perhaps will not be, sucked up by their own whirling tornado?
They are alone. They are drowning in minutes, locked under hours, trapped by days, eaten by years spent in classes that they could not care any less about without going stone cold. Yes, this is widely known, but why? Well, have they been asked? As ludicrously simple as that sounds, has it been done? While many students suffer academically due to lack of enthusiasm it is seldom considered that perhaps the teachers may be at fault. The students point of view is not taken into consideration as much as it should be; not truly valued in a way that would be most effective.
It is known that students talk; no subject is off limits and the topic of teachers tends to be the most conversed. This should be used as an advantage, students should be questioned on their class experiences and their thoughts on their teachers. Anonymous surveys should be given in high school as they are in most colleges. Allow the chosen students to freely express their thoughts of a class and teacher on paper with the choice to remain anonymous or share their identity; no repercussions, no questions asked. Surveys would be given prior to grade submission and received by teachers post grade submission. Should they wish to give a face-to-face response, allow it.
It is obvious that not all responses will be fair or objective, some will be emotionally charged. However, that is why multiple surveys are distributed and responses are cross checked with class grades, previous records of the teacher, and the amount of punishment given to those in that class. The differing opinions on students can help guide the situation accordingly. If responses come out saying that a teacher is rude or annoying, but grades are high, it can be more accurately assumed that while students do not like the teacher, they are getting a proper education.
Not all signs of failure stem specifically from the student, the teacher, or their living situation in a singular fashion. The system cannot correct all problems at home or in the students but the ones that can be controlled such as teachers and class environments need to be considered a priority.
I bounced back, I was awoken from my slumber and in the end I became my own hero, assisted by the many that pushed in my rise from the desolate ashes of academic failure. I had been sucked up in the glorious tornado that is family support and future dreams then chucked out with my pants on my head and my shirt on my legs, but I had it figured out―I had become one with school, embraced learning, and my teachers. But what of the others, the ones that have yet to have their educational epiphany? The ones that have not been, and perhaps will not be, sucked up by their own whirling tornado?
They are alone. They are drowning in minutes, locked under hours, trapped by days, eaten by years spent in classes that they could not care any less about without going stone cold. Yes, this is widely known, but why? Well, have they been asked? As ludicrously simple as that sounds, has it been done? While many students suffer academically due to lack of enthusiasm it is seldom considered that perhaps the teachers may be at fault. The students point of view is not taken into consideration as much as it should be; not truly valued in a way that would be most effective.
It is known that students talk; no subject is off limits and the topic of teachers tends to be the most conversed. This should be used as an advantage, students should be questioned on their class experiences and their thoughts on their teachers. Anonymous surveys should be given in high school as they are in most colleges. Allow the chosen students to freely express their thoughts of a class and teacher on paper with the choice to remain anonymous or share their identity; no repercussions, no questions asked. Surveys would be given prior to grade submission and received by teachers post grade submission. Should they wish to give a face-to-face response, allow it.
It is obvious that not all responses will be fair or objective, some will be emotionally charged. However, that is why multiple surveys are distributed and responses are cross checked with class grades, previous records of the teacher, and the amount of punishment given to those in that class. The differing opinions on students can help guide the situation accordingly. If responses come out saying that a teacher is rude or annoying, but grades are high, it can be more accurately assumed that while students do not like the teacher, they are getting a proper education.
Not all signs of failure stem specifically from the student, the teacher, or their living situation in a singular fashion. The system cannot correct all problems at home or in the students but the ones that can be controlled such as teachers and class environments need to be considered a priority.
