RL #1

1.) There is a part of me that envies Steve Mockensturm. Our experiences with high school English are so different. I went to a very small private school. In fact, my graduating class had about forty two people in it, and not many of them were very into English as I was. I was in the Honors English Class with sixteen other people, and our tear was Mrs. Barbara Fuller. I had known Mrs. Fuller for a long time before I ever took her class. We went to church together ever since I was in diapers, so I was use to her demeanor. She was the definition of "proper." That includes her teaching style. She never slouched. She never let anyone talk with "poor" grammar. She would never take the usual class clown crap from anyone. Now, that doesn't mean that she was mean or anything. I wouldn't even call her teaching style "strict." It was just confining, which is so different from how I write. I believe that writing should be freeing. When I wrote for Mrs. Fuller, I felt like a caged bird. I wouldn't say she hasn't helped me though. She taught me the very foundation of writing. She also introduced me to my one true love, Shakespeare. I believe that's how most people view high school English: difficult, but necessary.

2.) The first school I ever went to was Mendenhall Elementary School. I had many "moments" that shaped me into who I am today. Now, I'll have to admit, I was a very strange child. I'd go off and play with the guys. I would rather stay in during recess and read, and somehow everyone knew who I was while I didn't have a clue as to who they were. There was a moment that I particularly remember that happened when I was in kindergarten. My older brother, Zach, was coming off the playground as the kindergartners were getting on. When I saw him, I immediately waved and yelled, "Hey, Zach!" Zach did what any other shy fourth grader would do, he turned around and ran away. As a child, I thought my brother was ashamed of me. So, from then on, I tried my hardest to make my brother proud, or at least like me a little bit. As I evolved as a person, that constant feeling of not being good enough turned into a fear of rejection, which does nothing for my self esteem. But I am still trying to grow as a person, including putting myself our there a little more.