Sunday 3 June 2012

Remembering Making School Papers

Helping my niece with editing her Short Story paper reminded me so much of High School.


Seriously, who won't be? But unlike her, at age of 12, I was not able to come up with my own short story. I commend her for that. However,at such age I remembered starting to enjoy reading. (Okay, she beat me on that one, too.) As oppose to me reading Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew's Mystery series, she finished the entire Hunger Game series. 


But going back to remembering school work, book reviews came to mind. I remember submitting a review of one of the Hardy Boys mystery. I think, I finished reading the entire series. Same with Nancy Drew series. I was a frequent visitor of the library. But making the reviews, at such age, my one year experience with Teen Theater Company  really helped me through my entire four years in high school. Not only with book reviews, but as well as film reviews. Above all, it helped me actually write a script for a Filipino drama project from the book "El Filibusterismo". All the drama project was actually a breeze for me because of TTC. It kind of help me understand how a play is came up with, how a story could evolve to, or how an artiste could portray a role.


Now, as I watch my niece apply all my edits of her work, she makes me feel proud knowing I can help her this way. Unlike her, nobody was there to edit my work. Nobody was there to tell me how I can improve. The only time somebody actually gave me a feedback was after university when a friend, Lyndel, read one of my piece and told me how to improve. And that was really encouraging. Knowing how weak my background was when in comes to literacy, I was really an inferior when it comes to writing. All the papers I wrote were never a sure thing. I would always second guess my ideas and of the way I write it down. 


Hence, it is always with willing heart to assist my nieces or nephews, in little ways that I can, to help them improve. I am not an expert but I am confident I could steer them on the right direction. 


I guess what I am trying to say is -- background is everything. It surely can get you somewhere. Educational background is very important, especially starting it from such a young age. I always lack the discipline when it comes to school work because nobody has really steered me on the correct path. Not that I am blaming anybody. But what I learned, though, is that -- you surely reap what you sow. 

So for students  -- make a habit of learning more at young age is the best start of aiming for success.

For parents & guardians -- personally, I learned that all through out my students life, I need not only monetary support, but also psychological support. Mostly I was confused & uncertain, but I have to be strong to stand my ground and live with my decisions. 


Sometimes, I kind of think of how am I gonna raise Khloe when she becomes a student? Am I suppose to be a strict Mom so she won't make the mistakes I made? Or I'll let her do it her way and let her experience her own journey? 


It kind of reminded me, too, of what a passenger from the plane, who sat beside us told me about how she raised her teen-student (who was a cheerleader). She told me:


"I'd better have a conceited daughter than an inferior one. A daughter who is sure of herself stays out of trouble as oppose to a daughter who has not experience things she wants and gets more curious and ends up losing and betrayed."


Ah,,, she left me baffled. LOL.

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