Flaherty1 LoganFlaherty ProfessorRobertArnold English1101 1September2013

TheSponsorsThatChangedMyLife ItwaswasaTuesdayjustlikeanyotherTuesdayatTrindaleElementary.Allofthestudents inmyclassandIlinedupatthebrightlycolored,clowncovereddoorofourclassroomand headeddowntomyleastfavoriteplaceintheentireschool,theSpanishroom.Therewas nothingwrongwiththeclassroomitselfitwasjustlikealloftheotherclassrooms:longtables, withuncomfortablechairsallfacingableakwhiteboard.Theonlythingdifferentaboutthis classroomwasthatSpanishwastaughtinit.Reluctantly,weenteredtheroomandsatdownat ourtables.IdonotwanttodiscreditthisteachersoIwilljustrefertoherasSra.Maestra.Aswe satdown,Sra.Maestrawouldbeverylivelyandenthusiastichowever,theteacherwasnotvery successfulinmakingusinterested.Shetriedreallyhardtomakeitinterestingbysinging amusingsongsandplayingsillygames.Ididenjoythesongs,buttheclasswasstillextremely boringandwedidnotlearnanything.Afterthis,Iwentseveralyearsthinkingthatthiswashow foreignlanguageclassesworkedandIrefusedtotakeanotherone. WhereIcomefrom,thereareseveralelementaryschoolsthatfilterintooneschooljustfor sixthgraders.ThesummerbeforeIstartedattendingthisschool,Iremembergettingaletterin themailtellingmeIneededtodecidewhatelectivesIwasgoingtotake.Instantly,Irantomy momandasked,Mom,whatareelectives?Ofcourse,shehadnocluewhatIwasaskingher soIhadtoshowhertheletterIhadreceived.IstoodtherepatientlyasIsawhereyesscrollback

andforthacrossthepaper.Well,itseemslikeelectivesarefunclassesthatyougettochoose, sheexplainedyoucanchoosefromband,whichisallyearoryoucantakecomputerlabone halfoftheyearandarttheotherhalf.Mymindimmediatelyrushedtotheconclusionofbandbut, aswesatatthedinnertable,myparentsremindedmethatIhadquitpianobecauseIthought thelessonsweretakingtoolongandbandclasswouldbejustlikethat.Warily,Ipushedmy peasaroundmyplateandrealizedtheirargumentwasextremelyvalidandIdidnotwanttorelive anentireyearofsomethingsimilartopianolessons.Idefinitelydonotregretthisdecision. Movingon,attheendofsixthgrade,Ihadtosignupformoreelectivesforthemiddleschool. Thelistofelectiveswasmuchlongerinseventhgradeitincluded:band,art,lifechoices, Spanish,chorusandtheater.Well,Ithoughttomyself,IjustdidcomputerclasssoIdont needtotakeitagain.MyeyeslookedattheotheroptionsIcantdobandbecauseIdidntdoitin sixthgrade,thiswasactuallyaruleinourschoolsystem.IjusttookartandImawfulatit.Life choicesseemsdumb.Ok,IliketheaterIvebeenactingmywholelife.Istillneedonemore.Oh thereisntanywaythatIamgoingtosingforpeople.SowhatelsecanIchoose?whichis ratherironicbecausethatiswhatIlovetodonow.MyeyesfellunwillinglyonthelastoptionI guessIllbestuckwithSpanish. Afterleavingmyveryfirsthomeroomclass,IheadedtowardstheSpanishclassroom.AsI approachedthismuchdreadedplace,Inoticedawomanstandingatthedoor.Shegreetedus allinSpanishasweenteredtheroom,herlongdarkbrownhairfallinginherfaceconstantly. Shewasthinbutnotoverlythin,perfectforhertallerstature.Herdeepchocolateeyespierced throughmeasIfirstlookedather.AssoonasIcouldbreakawayfromhergaze,Iescapedinto theclassroomandfoundmyassignedseat.Shortlyafterwards,sheintroducedherselfasSrta. Sullivan,lateryoumayhearmerefertoherasSra.Leckonbybecauseshedidgetmarried.Why isSpanishimportant?sheasked,WhereinlifecanyouuseSpanish?Mymindstartedracing.

IhadnocluewhySpanishmaybeimportantandIhavebeenthetypetoadmitthatIdonotknow theanswer.DoctorsuseittotalktoforeignersIblurted.Shesmiled.Afterthis,otherstudents startedchimingin,mymomhasalotofSpanishspeakerscomeintothebankonesaid.After thisclassdiscussion,IstartedtounderstandtheimportanceofSpanish. SeveralweekspassedandSrta.Sullivanspassionanddeterminationreallypushedusand motivatedus.ThewholeclasswascompletelyenthusiasticaboutlearningSpanish.When Srta.Sullivanwouldaskaquestion,allofthestudentswouldraisetheirhandseagerly.Inthe morning,wewouldallrushtothedoorassoonasthebellrangandwouldanxiouslywaitfor classtostart.ThiswasbecauseofSrta.Sullivansbrilliance.Aftermyfirstyearofallofthis, becauseofher,Idefinitelywantedtotakeherclassagain.Attheendofmyeighthgradeyear,I knewSpanishwouldbewhatIwantedtodowithmylife. Soonafterward,registrationforhighschoolclassescamealong.ThefirstclassIlookedfor wasSpanish.WhenIdidntseeit,myheartshatteredintoamilliontinypieces.Instantly,I consultedacounselor,Spanishisntofferedtofreshmen,honey.shetoldme.Whenshe utteredthoseterriblewords,Iwasinfuriated,Islammeddownthephoneandflewintoafit.Iran tomymom,likealways,andaskedherwhatIshoulddo.Thenextday,shehadalittlechat withthecounselorand,longstoryshort,IwasputintoSpanishone. Atmyschool,wewereonlyallowedtotakeacertainnumberoftheaterclassesperyearand takingoneSpanishwaspushingitso,IcouldnttaketwobutIstillneededmoreelectives.I noticedFrenchwasonthelist,soIpickedit.IloveSpanish,andtheysayFrenchisclosely relatedtoSpanish(sidenoteitsnot),Ishouldtakethat!MyparentsdidnotunderstandwhyI wouldwanttotakeFrenchbecauseitisnotwhatonewouldcallusefulandIhadalreadytaken Spanish,buttheyletmedoitanyway. OnthefirstdayofFrenchclass,IwalkedthroughthedoorandallIsawwaspicturesof

FranceandFrenchmemorabiliaeverywhere.TherewasaposterforeveryprovinceofFrance, severalpicturesoftheEiffelTower,posterswithinspirationalquotesinFrench,andsomuch more.Afterfindingmyseat,ashortwomaninhermidthirtieswalkedin.Immediately,Inoticed heroutfit:adarkcoloredshirt,kneehighblackboots,ayellowscarfandaStarryNightprinted skirt.Atfirst,Ithoughttheskirtwasalittleweirdbutafteradmiringitforamoment,IfoundthatI ratherenjoyedtheskirt.ThiswomanwasMrs.Griffin. AfterfinallygettingoverthefactthatFrenchwasNOTHINGlikeSpanish,Ireallystarted enjoyingit.Mrs.GriffinreallymademerealizehowmuchIlovestudyingforeignlanguages.Iloved learningnewrules,newpronunciationsandnewconcepts.Almosteveryday,Iwouldgoto mrs.Griffinsroomafterclassandwewouldtalkabouthercollegeexperiencesandgrammar conceptsforalloftheforeignlanguagessheknewandtheGermanclassIwastakingwhich reallyreinforcedmyloveforforeignlanguage. Thenextyear,IwasgiventhenewsthatMrs.Griffinwouldbeatanotherschoolforthespring semesterwhichwastheonlytimeIcouldtakeherclass.Iwascompletelydevastated.Myheart sunktothebottomsofmyfeet.IknewIwouldhavetotakeanotherforeignlanguagetofillthe void.AsIwassittingeatingbreakfastonemorning,Isawonourlocalnewschannelthatour superintendenthadapprovedagrantformyschooltogetaChineseteacher.Naturally,Iwas thefirsttoenrollforthisclass. ThefirsttimeImetthenewteacher,JiaoFeng,hisEnglishwasverybrokensoitwasdifficult tounderstandhim.Likewise,hecouldnotunderstanduseither.Astheyearprogressed,notonly didheteachusbutwealsotaughthim.Andaswewentthroughtheyear,Iformedatitanium bondwiththisman.Hispassionforlearningandphilosophicalwaysabouthimweretruly inspirational.Sincehewasnewtoourcountry,myfamilyandItookJiaoouttoseetheoffthe wallwonderthatisNorthCarolina.Aftertheseexperienceswithhim,hereallystartedto

influenceme.HisintensefocusandviewsonlearningmademedecidethatIdefinitelywantedto teach.Iexpressedmyfeelingstohimandeversince,hehasbeenextremelymotivating.Asa matteroffact,hehasalreadyattemptedtogetmeajobteachingEnglishinhisschool. Inplanningoutthispaper,theonlythoughtthatoccurredtomewastowriteabout Sra.Leckonby.AsIbrainstormedideas,Irealizedthatshewasnottheonlyonewhomademe whoIamtoday.IsawthatthequirkyFrenchteacherunlockedmyloveforotherforeign languagesotherthanSpanishandtheChineseteacherinspiredmetoeducateotherssoIhadto mentionthemaswell.Andbecauseofthesepeople,IamincollegeworkingonaSpanishmajor withaneducationminor.