In college I majored in English. I never knew I would because in High School I struggled with reading books and writing papers. In College I realized not only how important reading literature and knowing how to interpret it really is, but also that I am very good at it. A large part of a good education is to know how to read for yourself, interpret it in your mind and then write it down the way you think and feel about it using evidence from the text. Even more importantly, a real good education is realizing who your are and what you're good at. Experiencing and learning what your strengths are (without realizing you even have them)isn't just a great feeling (which it is) but it also gives you the key to success: Knowing yourself and being happy with it. After that, everything falls into place.
After my undergraduate studies, I received a full tuition scholarship in Bard College and earned a Master's Degree in Teaching Literature in one year. This intensive study allowed for me to do some in-depth research on Literature and how the language is used, read a lot about theory in education and I also conducted a Classroom Research Project where I spent a lot of time with students trying to answer the question: Do personal connections and/or interactions with literature help students become better readers and writers? Overall, the answer is yes, and there are many interesting discoveries along the way, particularly with one-on-one (personal Teacher-to-Student) interactions. The classroom is a public room with many students, and teachers cannot always provide for a student's needs on a daily bases because of how it ranges from student to student. However, real magic happens when a teacher/tutor spends an allotted time just with one student or in a small group.
I not only realized my passion for reading and writing during my education, but also my love for helping students who need it. In High School I was overwhelmed and needed extra help too, and there's nothing wrong with that. Now I have a Masters Degree.
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