Neliza Castillo
English 103
As far as I could remember my earliest experience of learning, was when i was in kindergarten and i was learning how to read. My teacher used the arts of music, with songs to help us remember words. Also practicing turning and talking to our partners in order to express ideas about what we thought the correct answer was. We were all on the rug and we would go about our daily routine. During my elementary school years i attended two different schools. I first started at P.S 178, which was only up to second grade, so after that i had gone to P.S 152 to finish until 5th grade. Starting my elementary years in P.S 178 was a great experience it was a fun school with nice teachers who had many festivities to celebrate the years of learning and make sure we had fun while getting our abilities to higher standards. Things such as Tiger day to celebrate 100 days of school. I remember making the number 100 using a hundred items, and also dressing up as an elderly to represent the value of the number. Also we had Bear Day at my other elementary school. Bear day was a day to celebrate reading, standing for “Be Excited About Reading”. Each class would read lots of books and design their very own Bear, and at the end there would be a competition for the best bear. Another thing that i enjoyed alot was my math bee, in the 4rth grade, a very nerve wrecking but amazing experience for me. Doubting myself and all i went along with the bee and ended up in third place, i’m as happy as i was back then for this position because i had made it to the three finalist along with my classmate who was number 1! Such a fun and motivating way of learning. Maybe if my middle school or high school math lessons where this exciting i wouldn’t struggle with college level math so much. As a student i have confronted the challenge of pushing myself, motivating myself. Somedays i was motivated other days i really had no idea how i would motivate myself passed the doubts. Luckily i always took advantage to listen to those who wanted to see me and my classmates succeed and that was great help.