I believe one of the most important aspects of John Dewey’s ideals is his notion that “education… is a process of living and not a preparation for future living” because I feel as if it relates to a number of various principles that EL Education espouses. Throughout my education I have often found that the pressure placed on me to perform hinders my ability to properly enjoy and explore my education. Particularly in high school I was discouraged a number of times by faculty and administration to pursue my interests in school because they believed that, if I were to have challenged myself,  I would not have excelled. My sophomore year of high school I took the CP literature course and got a B, and while I was interested in taking the Honors course during my junior year, I knew that I would have needed to get an A in the CP course to move up to Honors. After discussing the dilemma with my teacher I discovered that I could get forms signed by members of the faculty, staff, and my parents to get into the course. My parents encouraged me to take the class and happily signed the forms I handed over to them, but when I gave the form to my CP literature teacher, the Vice Principal, and my the teacher who would was going to be teaching the Honors class, I was told multiple times by them that there was a strong chance I wouldn’t succeed in the class and they rather forcefully recommended that I remain in CP. When I got a B in the Honors course and wanted to take the AP literature course my senior year, I was made to go through the whole discouraging experience again, but lo and behold I got an A in the class and I passed my AP exam – I may have shown up late and without a pencil, but I passed.

Those teachers who discouraged me from challenging myself were preparing me for future living. They wanted to ensure that I had the best grades that I could have had on my high school transcript for when I applied to college. Yet, I truly believe that if a student’s’ interests aren’t cultivated and challenges aren’t put before them there is very little chance of that student succeeding. Not only is it important for the student to cultivate their passions, but it is also important that they realize their own capabilities and self-worth as a student. Moreover, I feel as if doing these empowering things for students is what best prepares them for their future – grades are not necessarily indicative of someone’s future success or lack thereof, but their confidence, passion, ambition, etc.