EducationalNarrative

WhenIenteredtoschoolforthefirsttime,itscaredmealotbecauseIsawthat

somechildrenwerecryingandmymomwasverysadforme.Myoldersister
accompaniedmeandwhenIwasabouttomournlookedmeintheeyesandtoldme
thatIwouldnotbealone,thatIwasgoinglearnedalotandwewillalwaysseeeach
otherinrecess.Herwordssoothedmeandalwayscarrytheminmyheart.

Beforeleavingthehouse,Iremembermydadalwaystoldustoputmuchattention
totheboard,notgetdistractedbecausetheschoolwastolearnandprepareforthe
futureandnottowastetime.Theytoldustheirstorieswhentheywerechildren,they
toldushowharditwastogotoschool,thatpovertyforcedthemtoleaveitto
workandtohelpmygrandparentstogetlivelihood.Isawmyparentsasagreat
example,becausealthoughtheywereinelementaryschoolforonlytwoorthreeyears,
theycouldreadandwriteverywellandmydadwasexcellentinmathematics.

Basedonthat,IfocusedtostudyandIlikedlearning.WhenIwasstudyingat
elementaryschool,tomiddleoffirstgradetobeexact,Ihadanunpleasantexperience,
myteacherwasaveryangrypersonandpunishedherstudentsverystrongly.Sheused
tocometotheboardtoeachstudenttowritewhatsheask,thatwayshecouldknowif
theystudiedathomeorpaidattentiontoclass.

Interestingly,manyfailedandtheresultwasaslaponthewristorhairpulling.I
alwaysansweredandshetoldmypartnerstofollowmyexample,butinoneoccasion,
sheaskedmeadifficultquestionwhichIcouldnotansweredandshestronglypulled
myear,ithurtmealotandgavemegreatshamebecauseIwasveryshyandreserved.
AlsoIwasnotusedtogetthatkindofpunishment.

Thatday,leavingschoolIlookedformysistertotellmygriefandsheverysweetly
toldmenottofeelbad,thatIhadtocontinuestudyingbecauseIwasveryintelligent.
Herwordscomfortedme.

Inmiddleschool,Irememberateachertellingustoreviewlessonsbecausethere
wouldbetests,myclassmatesdidnotlikethenewsbutIenjoyeddoingmyexams,I
sawitasachallengethatIlovedtaking.

Whentheygaveusteamwork,theynotregularlyassignedpartnerssoalwaysasked
metobepartofmyteamthreeorfourfellowswhoseemedthatitwasdifficulttolearn.
SoeventhoughIexplainedthemasclearlyaspossibleIusuallydidmostofthework.

Sometimes,itwasdifficultandtiringbutIknewthatIwouldlearnbetter.Iwasalways
optimistic!Then,IrealizedIwantedtostudytobecomeasateacher,eventheysaid
thattheynoticedIhadavocationforitbecauseIhadpatienceanddedicationtoteach
them.

Attheendofmiddleschool,mybestgiftwasseeingmyfamilyveryproudofme
forbeingthebeststudentacademicallyandbehavior.

Mynextstagewasthehighschool,andIhadwelldefinedthatmyobjectivewasto
becomeasateacher.Thiswouldbeagreatchallengebecausemyparentsdidnot
havesufficientfinancialresourcestocoverthecareer,andhadtoleavemytownto
studyinthecity,butIstillenthusiasticallyfollowedmystudies.

Thefollowingyear,wereceivedanunexpectedvisit.Myunclescamefromthecity.
Theywerelookingforsomeonewhotrusttohelpthemworkingintheirhomeandcare
formyelderlyuncle.Besidesthatwecouldstayandlivethere.Wechatabitandtold
themmysituation.Alsoofferedtostudywiththemandgivemeascholarship.They
werethedirectorsofatechnicalschoolandhighschoolcareerinchildcare,Iwas
excited,itwastheopportunityofalifetime!Onlytherewasadownside,Ihadtostart
againsincethebeginning.Itwasoneof
therequirementstobepartofthatinstitution.Wedidnotsolvethematthetime
becausemyparentswerenotconvinced,afterchattinganddigalittlemoreonthe
proposal,afewdayslatermyparentsagreed.

Iwasreallyhappy!Mydreamswouldcometrue.Ibegantoprepare,Iknewitwas
noteasytochangeaquietvillagetoabustlingcity,alsothefactthatwouldhavemuch
moreresponsibilityandIhadtoseemyfamilyjusteveryweekend.Fortunately,I
managedtoadapttotherapidlycircumstances.

Thefirstyearwasspectacular.Theatmosphereoftheschool,mypartners,my
teachers,mygradeswereexcellent...Iloveit!Iremembersomuchthatmypartners
usuallyaskedmequestionsaboutmath,theysaidthatunderstandmebetterthanthe
teacher.Oneday,theteachercameclosetome,Iwasafraidthatshewouldbe
madaboutthatbutmysurprisewasthatsheaskedmetoteachmathwhenshewould
beabsent.Sheusuallywassick.Iwasgratefulfortheopportunitythatshewantedto
giveme.MyparentswereveryhappybecauseIwasdoingverywell,andthesacrifice
wasworth.Ifeltblessed!

Inthemiddleofthefollowingyear,therewereseveralmajorchangesinthefamilyof
myuncles.Theyboughtasmallerhometolivebecausetheirchildrengotmarriedand
myolderunclereturnedtohisoriginalhometown.Theydidnotneedmeanymorebut
offeredmehalfscholarship.

Mydreamsbegantocrumble,Istartedlookingforparttimejobforseveralweeks
butonlyfoundfulltimeandmyparentsunfortunatelycouldnothelpme.Iwentthrough
severalneedsbutIdidnottellthemmyparentssotheydonotputsad.Ikeptstruggling
butitwasreallydifficult.Mydreamscollapsedterribly!

Despitethesadending,Iremainedoptimistic.Icanhaveotheropportunities
workinghardandwithdedicationIcouldfulfillmyselfinthefieldofeducation.

Thenextyear,Igotmarried.Iwasfortunatetocometothiscountrytohavemore
opportunities.IstartedtoformmyfamilyhereinBostonandIbegantostudythe
EnglishlanguagebecauseIknewitwasfundamentaltoachievemygoals,inadditionto
joiningtheirculture.IenrolledinanorganizationthatofferedEnglishclassesandafter
completedthecourse,theyhelpedusentertoBunkerHillCommunityCollegein
ChelseaforhigherlevelsofEnglish.IfinishedthefourlevelsofEnglish.Myteacher
saidIwasreadytogocollege,butbeforeIhadtofinishhighschool,andshesentme
todotheGEDwhichalsoBunkerHillCommunityCollegeoffered.

Fortunately,ImanagedtoobtaintheGEDcertificateoneyearago.Aftergotthe
GEDDiploma,Iwaslookingforacourseorschoolthatoffers,Iwasafraidtolosemy
EnglishbecauseinthecommunityofEastBostonmostspeakSpanish.Imgratefulto
currentlyImstudyingEnglishinBPS/FamilyLiteracyProgramwithKarladeLeon.

WhenIwaswritingmyeducationalhistory,Ifeltmanyemotions,tearsandsmiles
toremembermychildhood,wherethereweretriumphsandfailures.Butalwaysgrateful
tomyfamilywhogavemeunconditionalloveandsupportmeallthetime.Difficult
situationsandenjoyableexperienceschange,andeverythingisalearningprocessthat
makesusthink,growandappreciatewhatwehaveatthetime,andmakesusbetter
humans.

Now,IhadtheopportunitytobememberofthewonderfulCommunity
ParaprofessionalDevelopmentProgramCPDP,inwhichwereceivedvaluable
informationandknowledge,enhancemyskillstoimplementthemonchildren.Mygoal
istobecomeasanassistantteachertohelpchildrenachievetheirgoalsandhavea
successfulfuture.