In the essay by Meira van der Spa reflects on her schooling experiences and how she redefined her view on learning. Up until she was eight years old, Meira was home-schooled. She explains that her parents were both active in her learning process, and made sure that she understood the concepts they were teaching and didn't just memorize the facts. When she began to attend a public school, she discovered that the teachers there were less interested in having the students really learn a concept and were more focused on how well they could do on tests. She recalls a time when she asked her father a question about how objects look different underwater, and instead of just giving her an answer like a teacher at her school would, he left her experiment and discover it on her own. 

Meira says that in her school experience she found that she was almost forced to find something that she was good at and tell herself that the rest were things she was bad at. "... conventional education often leads us to base our perception of ourselves on our limitations, rather than on our possibilities," she found that after she let go of this perception, she was able to expand her interests and find out what she was really good at, and what she truly enjoyed doing.

This is something that I struggle with, along with many other people my age. The pressure to decide what we are good at based on only twelve years of school and hardly any time spent actually trying to discover what we are good at and enjoy is huge. Having a learning experience like the one Meira's parents gave her, where you are encouraged to not just accept what you are told, but actually figure it out on your own, is one that every child should have access to. 

This reflection essay relates to my topic in that it explains one experience of school, and how it affected the person's future. Meira decided not to let her schooling experience define her, and she chose to become her own teacher, and her own motivator because her teachers weren't enough. She was able to "... reject the idea that [she was] limited," and pursue what she really wanted to pursue. 

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Topic of Inquiry:  Youth experiences of schooling.

Guiding Question: What are the different educational experiences of youth? How do these educational experiences shape their childhood?

Rationale: The experiences that kids have in elementary, and middle school help mold them into the people they will eventually become. I am interested in learning more about the different affects these experiences can have on a wide range of kids, and how these experiences change the way they view their childhood.

Summary: My experience of school is one I look at fondly. I have always enjoyed learning, and being in a learning environment. I personally have never experienced a lack of necessities in the classroom, or bullying on the playground, and I want to learn more about how these experiences affect the kids that go through them. 

Prediction: I hope to have a better understanding of how kids' experiences in school affect their childhood, and their learning experiences.

Book Ideas Titles and Authors:
1. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (Novel)
2. Blubber by Judy Blume (Novel)
3. Listening to Young People in School, Youth Work and Counseling by Nick Luxmoore (Nonfiction)
4. Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson (Novel) 
5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indain by Sherman Alexie (Novel)

Discussion:  A child's experience in school can range from one that is without hardship to one filled with constant difficulties. These difficulties range from bullying, and a lack of necessities, to family troubles that put pressure on the child both in and out of school. The way these kids deal with their childhood struggles shapes their future, and how they will look back on their childhood as an adult.

Other Sources: Another source that I will be looking at is the documentary Waiting for 'Superman'. This Documentary explores the effect that our current public schools have on children. The film focuses on the specific experiences of five children who have a desire to learn.