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Reflection Post

S. Yaeger's picture
Submitted by S. Yaeger on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 1:18pm

In reflecting over my educational biography, I have been considering what I put in, and what I left out.  First, I decided to focus on what I learned outside of school.  There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that I wanted to focus on some of the more practical things I have learned.  However, if I am being honest, another part of the reason for this is that I have just, like everyone else here, gone through the application process for dozens of schools.  As a non-traditional student, this process has almost always included some section where I've been asked to discuss my schooling at length, as well as provide an explanation as to why I interupted it.  This means that I am kind of sick of writing about school. In addition to leaving out my formal schooling, I also left out a good deal of information about my informal schooling.  I did this because it would be too long to include it all, and because I am still unsure of how comfortable I am sharing some of the more intimate details of my life.  I think that that discomfort, and the way I deall with it, is one of the big issues that this assignment has made me consider.

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Utitofon's picture

Thursday's Class

Submitted by Utitofon on Mon, 09/05/2011 - 5:19am.

Rodriguez story made me think of the pressure I once faced to substitute the English meaning of my name for my native name. I allowed my friends to call me Kindness, since they found it difficult to pronounce Mfon properly. But after about 2 years, my parents and I decided that bearing an Englih name just to make others comfortable was lame. So I reverted to my sweet sounding Mfon-ido. Definitely, when I introduce myself, I cause a stir, and the next question is usually, Where are you from? So I feel that my native name is an integral part of my identity.

That's why I connected more with Sandra Cisneros. She was proud of her roots. Her humble upbringing might have made her feel outclassed in college, but she did not cower in shame, or try to get herself assimilated. Rather, she embraced her identity and made herself noticed. Imagine writing a book that is used in prestigious universities like Yale! In eleventh grade, I enjoyed the little privilege of having one of my poems used in an in-school Literature examination. My classmates were so happy, and I felt so cool.

Unlike Lydia, I did not have to struggle to be my teachers' favorite. Of course, they were butter and milk kids in my high school.Lots of them! I often felt I was at the bottom of the class financially, but I countered that by staying on top academically. My teachers dotted on me because I made them feel accomplished and fulfilled. I showed them respect and treated them as uncles and aunties. That way, I made my 'class' insignificant, not by trying to fit in, but by staying DIFFERENT.

Utitofon's picture

My afterthoughts

Submitted by Utitofon on Mon, 09/05/2011 - 4:46am.

First of all, I wish I was not limited by 3 pages, since my story is so convulated. I had to delete several 'scenes', skim over most and focus more on the practical value of my experiences. I also spoke in the plural tense sometimes, as i experienced those events and learned those lessons within my family circle, not as an individual. I preferred to develop on my life outside of school, which had both direct and subtle effects on my experiences in school. I think the latter was very dependent on the former. I also got emotional recollecting some memories I would rather keep sealed and secure in my memory bank.

Honestly, I did worry that reading my educational biography might make you view me differently. Also, in my conclusion, I felt obligated to acknowledge my unique set of parents.  I am also grateful to life for enriching me with stories that can make movies and bestowing me with a peculiar kind of maturity. Yes, I have been a stubborn victim of class!

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