Literacy Journey
Today, every person has had an experience of the time they were in school, reading, writing and all that pertains learning. Each one of us has a story of the first day one went to school, started reading, the good things we loved and the bad things we hated about school. Personally, my literacy journey has been a long and arduous one with its fair share of ups and downs. Looking back at my formative days in school, it would seem that the lows were expressly more than the highs. Nonetheless, I am happy today that despite the numerous challenges I had to overcome, the experiences I had growing up and in school have played a significant part in molding me into the person I am today.
First Day of School
As is the norm today, my literacy journey had its beginning in Kindergarten whereas a fresh inductee into the world of education and routine, the first day was always going to be a memorable one. My first day was hectic because of a myriad of reasons, and I remember crying a lot. It was the first time that I had been away from my parents, and the thought of them leaving me in a foreign place was unfathomable for me. Furthermore, the sight of new faces and adults I had never seen before was just not to my liking. However, as time went by I became used to it and I enjoyed the times I spent playing with other kids. Soon enough I started looking forward to coming to school.
Struggles with Comprehension
Nevertheless, the joy I had was short lived as I found out I had a hard time comprehending what was taught in school. It all began when I could not correctly pronounce my name correctly, and the other kids usually laughed at me. It was only a matter of time, and I soon began feeling like an outsider because my peers could read, write, and pronounce their names but I could not. My assignments always came back riddled with numerous corrections, and things did not get better as I advanced in classes. I was always the "slow kid" who could not pronounce his name, read or write correctly in most of my classes.
A New Beginning
As a young child, these things destroyed me, I did not have any ounce of self-confidence in me, and however much my parents tried to help me, at times I was disconsolate. I hated myself. Luckily for me, my father changed jobs, began his private practice and we relocated to a new city, and I ended up in a new school. My mother was happy. At the time I was in fourth grade, and my mother told me this is a chance for a new beginning, that I could be whatever I wanted to be and I should not let anyone tear me down or make me feel worthless. I took this to heart, and I focused more on becoming the best version of myself that I could be. Here, the environment was different, kids were friendly, and the teachers were accommodating. Whenever I could not understand something I used to raise my hand and help would come, either from my teachers or my fellow students. Gradually I became more interested in studies, and with this new found interest I improved markedly in both my oral and reading skills.
Realizing My Potential
By the time I got to high school, I had improved so much that I was able to develop and realize my full potential. I was more motivated to learn and become better. Furthermore, the fact that I had to write long papers for most of my subjects only made it better. The entire experience was surreal and I could not believe this was me. Today I can write just as well as any of my peers if not better, and even though I sometimes find it had understanding complex concepts in literature, I am now aware that I can better than I already am. My challenges are my driving force and overcoming them are my joy.
