Education Matters US

Let me give you some of my background. My parents were always involved in my school and in the studies of my siblings and myself. They pushed us to learn so that we would have a better life. Neither of my parents had ever finished high school. My father farmed and worked the fields. He did not go past eighth grade. My mother went only to the tenth grade. She quit school when they were married. When I was in junior high my mother went and got her GED as a good example for us. My father was the sole bread winner. He made less than $20,000/year when I was in elementary school and that had to take care of a family of 6. He sacrificed and sent me to private school in first and second grade. I was the second oldest. I have an older brother who is Autistic. I did not attend kindergarten. For my 3rd through 5th grades my sister and I attended a church run school. Someone there paid a scholarship for us to attend. I can remember during this time our family was on food stamps. We all went to public school starting the following year since all 4 of us could attend the same school. They had special ed classes for my brother. I did almost nothing in 6th and 7th grade. I was advanced over what the school was teaching. I did not let that stop me and neither did my parents. I continued to learn on my own with their prodding. I continued at the top of my class the remainder of my school years. I was accepted into college skipping my senior year of high school. I worked every summer and during the school year to pay for my college. One of my sisters did the same. I finished my degree by working a night shift and going to school full time every day. I worked hard and was encouraged by my parents. I had class sizes between 25 – 30 most of the time.

My wife and I are involved in our kids’ education. We make sure they do their homework and they understand it. We stress to them the importance of always doing their best even though it is not required in school. My oldest quickly learned there is a certain amount of work that is required to get A’s. We make sure she knows that we expect her best even if the school does not. My youngest has not learned the same bad habit yet. Hopefully she won’t. She does have her own set of traits to work through though.