It’s not easy being a teacher. As a teacher you must know your student, what they’re learning methods are, and their true aspirations. As a teacher, you must demonstrate your passion, and allow your student to understand that you enjoy teaching them. Also as a teacher you must teach your student that the sky is the limit. My oldest brother has taught me all of the above. A teacher and an older brother share the same responsibilities.
My older brother, Michael, has taught me life’s most important lessons. He’s taught me to speak my mind, and most importantly that I can be anything in the world, there is no such word as “limit” when dealing with your future goals. He is my greatest influence. When I get sad, or discouraged he reminds me that I’m not the only person who feels defeated at times. He has taught me that you can feel discouraged, but never wallow in self-pity. A college search is supposed to be exciting, heartfelt, and heartbreaking? I searched for colleges based on their SAT or ACT score requirements, and if they offered my major. At times it would discourage me to find that my score did not match a certain colleges SAT or ACT requirements. My older brother gave me a light while I was traveling down my dark tunnel of finding my “perfect college”. I remember my brother’s words of encouragement, he told me “scores matter, but they’re not the only thing that an admissions board will look at. Colleges want a well-rounded person not someone who just tests well or who has a 4.0 GPA.” When he told me this I began to approach a new direction in searching for my “perfect college”. I realized that I could get accepted into any school as long as I put all my heart and effort into it.
Michael has assisted me throughout my life, from breaking the news to my parents about my first bad grade, to my first, second, and third driving ticket. I have a wonderful relationship with both of my parents. However my older brother contains a higher level of empathy. My older brother is also the one person I can count on to be on my side, even if I am wrong. My older brother taught me that there is nothing in this world that I can’t do. For a long time, I didn’t realize the amount of potential I possessed; I’m not the average student. I think further outside the box.
My older brothers has had a positive influence over me, I was somewhat insecure and quiet. When I would attend class, and didn’t understand my teachers lesson, I wouldn’t raise my hand, or ask questions, I would simply nod my head and pretend as if I understood exactly what was going on in class. This however only hurt me in the long run, my older brother taught me that there is nothing wrong with asking the teacher to go over a certain lesson one more time, asking a teacher for help doesn’t mean you’re stupid. He helped me understand that everyone ask questions, and its ok to say “hey I don’t understand”. Michael brought me out of the shell that I had been hiding in for so long, hiding my creativity, my passion, and who I truly was. After his influence I began to notice a difference in my personality, I was emerging into the person that I always wanted to be, myself. I participated in class more, I spoke my mind, even if it wasn’t at the right time, and I became comfortable with who I was, and who I was becoming.
The day I revealed my college list to my older brother, was the day he made me realize he only wanted what was best for me. I, of course, had Syracuse as my first pick, and four other colleges that I didn’t contain a true desire to attend. I noticed the anger in my older brother’s eyes growing, when he asked me “besides Syracuse can you honestly picture yourself at any of these colleges. And why do you want to go to these colleges”. I responded to his somewhat harsh toned filled question by saying “I know Syracuse is my own personal “perfect college” because it contains a strong art department. I also know that Syracuse will embrace my creative mind and spirit, and guide it into growing into something more than just a “gift”. Impressed by my answer, he showed no hesitation in asking me, what about the other colleges. It was in the midst of that moment, full of silence, tension and intimidation, that I had realized that I had to put my all into my future, because no one else would, and that I needed to create a new college list. My older brother shared words that will always ring in my mind like an alarm clock, “you have all the control over your future, you have to put the effort in because no one else can do this for you, I can’t, mom, and dad cant, and this is something you have to do on your own. “Michael helped me understand that I am my worst enemy; I am the one that can make or break my future, and that it is time for me to take control.
My older brother has continuously guided me to the answer, to all of my questions in a subtle way. He would never give me the full answer; he would simply show me how to find the answer on my own. It’s not easy being a teacher, but my older brother does a great job at balancing being a great teacher, mentor and best friend.
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