Intro
I feel like I’ve grown as a learner at ACLC. Before I came to this school I used to go to Bret Hart Middle School in Oakland, California. I didn’t really like that school all that much, there was a lot of fights, a lot of drama, and so much more. I used to get into a lot of fights there. My mom noticed something was going on and put me into ACLC which could have probably been the best decision she ever could have made. At first when I started at ACLC I was confused how they call their teachers, “facilitators¨, by their first name and not their last, which was something I never heard of before. After awhile, I got used to ACLC different ways and how they teach things. I really like that learners can easily talk to facilitators and get work done, and have a close relationship with each other. A lot of my facilitators helped me past in the end, helped me pass my classes with at least a C. Which is great! For example I wasn’t doing so good in Spanish (which was never my strong subject) then my facilitator gave me some asignments to do, then it brought my grade up to at least a C.
Personal Qualities Work Habits and Attitudes: Self-Esteem/ Sociability
I used to have really low self-esteem, and didn’t really have a lot of confidence in myself as a learner when I first came to ACLC. I was used to being shot down by the other kids at my old school, and that really made me afraid to be comfortable with my innerself. I started to gain self-esteem my freshmen year of highschool. I remember in math class I wasn’t sure if the answer was right, so I decided to raise my hand for help. I was right, I thought everyone would end up laughing at me when I got it wrong. My self-esteem began at ACLC, which may sound crazy because it’s just a school, but honestly the facilitators helped me as well with speaking in front of the class, and being comfortable with my work. I noticed a big change in myself as I began to give myself pep talks, and telling myself “I can do it!”. I try to think positive all the time which is very hard to do, it’s easier to think negative than positive. But when it comes to things that I’m worried about, or uncomfortable with I try to think very positive, because if you think negative about it, it may just all go bad really quickly. I’ve gained a lot of self worth over the years which took me awhile to gain, and I still haven’t gained it fully, but I’m in a better place than I was before.
New Basics: Writing/ Speaking
ACLC taught me a lot over the years, one of the things ACLC taught me is how to better my writing skills as a learner. When I first began going to ACLC I didn’t know how to write paragraphs well. My english facilitators taught me about punctuation, and a lot of other things. They helped me come along way, I really appreciate the facilitators. In english I wrote a full paper and got good grade on it because I used MLA format, which that is something I really struggled with! My speaking skills got so much better, and the reason that is, is because I began to do public speaking even though I use to get very nervous in front the class. It was very rocky at first but then I began to learn overtime how things work at ACLC, and how we do these things often. After awhile I began to get way better at speaking in front of people and to people as well.
Thinking and Reasoning Skills
At ACLC they treat you like you’re in college everything is your choice, and if you don’t wanna do something that’s on you. For example dealing with your problem with other learners, we are a team based school. ACLC has taught learners no matter how much you don’t like that person it doesn’t matter you’re always going to be with someone you don’t like. I’ve been in these types of situations and I have thrown them to the side just to get my work done. As I said before ACLC is a college based school, so the teachers aren’t always up on you telling you what to do, and if you don’t do it that’s on you. Your grade is suffering in the end, not the facilitator. I’ve been in spots like that, and I had to get my act together and do the work.If I wanted to be hard headed and not do it I wouldn’t be able to graduate. I think anything is possible, I go along with that mindset everyday because if I don’t I won’t go far in life. I keep my mind open to anything and everything. Thinking freely is something I do on the regular.
Interpersonal Abilities
I’ve noticed over the 6 years I been at ACLC that I’m worth something, that my voice is meant to be heard no matter how small or my age. ACLC taught me that my opinion matters! I’m very social, I’ve alway had a problem with that in grade school. I know how to get along with people very well, which ACLC has taught me that as well. ACLC has a lot of different kids with different backgrounds the same as any other schools. But somehow we all come together as one, and all get along with one another in the end. When I came to ACLC I was very social, I had a little rough areas here, and there but ACLC fixed them up for me. I got a lot better at being social with people, and being friendly. Over the years I became more of a social butterfly, which is great. Working in groups for me is very comfortable to me. The reason it is comfortable is because ACLC is a project based school, so a lot of the time we do are things in groups, most of the time no more than four. When other learners aren’t saying much I asked them do they usually have anything to say. Which sometimes they a little something which that’s okay. I adapt very well with the people around, it’s really easy for me to blend into a lot of different cliques at ACLC. I’m very social now, and I can talk to different cliques without feeling like I need to fit in with them, which isn’t the case. ACLC helped me spread my wings.
Technology
ACLC is really popular for computers, everything is on the internet. I use the internet to do a lot of my school work the software that I really use is Google drive. The reason I use that so much is because we type a lot of papers and do a lot of projects. Google drive is very easy for me to use, and you don’t have to download a writing software or anything like that, it’s really simple. ACLC has also taught me how to code a little bit over the years as well. Computer at ACLC have helped me do a lot of my work over the years I’ve been here, and it’s one of the reason why I’m successful at this school today. Having this opportunity to be using this technology at Aclc will show me how to handle it when I go off to school, and start writing essays. Aclc has taught me how to write in MLA format, and also how to use google drive, and docs.
Reflective Essay
