I think almost everyone has a complicated relationship with the classroom. For me it began at age 12 when I realized chatting with friends in class was much more funnier that paying attention to the teacher. There was no WhatsApp at 2005, so our talk might have been a bit noisy.
I grow up with the idea that I didn't fit in that space. If all I had to do were a few exams why do they wanted me to stay quiet all the time?
"You have to prepare yourself for the university entrance examination", they said. All those years were supposed to be worth when you got into the university. They never said to me I could learn to make life more interesting, to be able to help others. We always had to aim for the exams.
Then, university came. Seven subjects per semester, two exams per subject plus one final assignment. The same structure they gave me as a kid they were giving me as an adult. I went to classes so the professors could read their slides for me. I felt utterly disrespected. How this can be normal?
In 2015 I wanted to drop out. At that time it made no more sense to attend to classes. I felt I was wasting my days. Then, by a random chance, this video came to me:
Erica Goldson in her valectorian speech said she was the best "test maker" in her class. That's all she was prepared for, to be a good "test maker". Is this the ultimately goal for the educational system?
"However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. [...] While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. [...] I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I'm scared." (Erica Goldson)
Erica's speech was what I needed to make something for me. I decided I would be responsible for my own learning. It changed my perspective with studies. Every boring class was an oppurtinity to read a good book. I felt free from the need to achieve maximum grades in every subject. Suddenly, a grade 7 and one more book read seemed much more interesting than a grade 10. I had the opportunity to see many more perspective. I felt joy again with learning.
Luckily (or not), I had so many boring classes I could read a book per week. This helped me to create a reading habit. Looking back in perspective this was a turning point. I was the responsible for my own learning. No professor ever taught me that.
I let you with one last reflection proposed by Erica. "But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?"
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