Academic Engagement For Student Success

During my senior year of high school, I was enrolled in a class called Projects in Engineering. I had originally signed up for a Computer Science class, but due to low enrollment, my class was combined with the engineering class. At first I was unhappy, but I decided to embrace this new class. It sounded interesting, and I was excited to see what kinds of projects we would be working on.

The class started off well. We were learning math that overlapped with the calculus class that I was taking that same year. I did well on the first few assignments and tests until I got to the physics section of the class. I was also taking a physics class that year, but was not getting much out of it. I struggled and stayed after school to try to improve my grades. My friend and I did everything we could, and it seemed like our hard work was not paying off. Unfortunately, my teacher was not very encouraging. I was really upset at the middle of the school year and felt like giving up because it seemed like nothing I did was right.

Our main project for the year was rapidly approaching, and my motivation was at an all-time low. We were instructed to make a truss bridge out of manila folders. This proved to be a much harder task than it sounded. It involved complex measurements, precise folding, and careful cutting and gluing. My friend and I worked together and we actually succeeded in making our bridges. When we tested each bridge as a class, both of our bridges proved to be well-made. This accomplishment made me feel better about my work in the class. I was finally able to complete a project that the teacher was happy about. But unfortunately, my other experiences that year discouraged my interest in the subject altogether.

I have since gone to college and received my bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and I am currently working on my graduate degree in Education to become an English teacher. Although I do sometimes wonder if I should have given engineering another chance, I am happy that I chose English. Engineering may not have been my subject, but I encourage students to persevere, even if they are not praised by their teacher. Academic engagement for student success is crucial. If it’s something you really want, you should go for it.

Colleen M.
Boston Tutoring Services