It might be an understatement to say that my schooling was somewhat 'troubled'.
I changed schools for year 11.
It didn't take very long before I was in the headmaster's office at my new school. I was required to present just cause as to why I should be allowed to stay.
I don't remember why.
It's the SYSTEM man, it's just against me! :P
Anyway, my headmaster made me write a two page essay on what I was going to achieve in high-school.
I didn't really have a choice. If I wanted to stay, I had to do it. After presenting my essay, I had to meet with him at recess every Tuesday for the next six months and report in on my progress. :P
So. Well. I, um, found the essay.. :)
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Over years 11 and 12 I plan to achieve my HSC. And the result I plan to get should be good enough to get me into the university course that I wish to do. In order to get a good HSC result I'll need to apply myself to my studies. That will mean working well both at school and at home in my own time. During this time it will be important to treat those around me with respect. Including my teachers, my family, my friends and myself. If I respect them then they will respect me. If I achieve all this then I will not only have earned the respect of my peers but I will have had a successful education and will be able to pursue a career that is of interest to me.
If I fail to achieve my academic goals at least I can be happy knowing I tried my hardest. Provided of course that I did try my hardest. If I did not work as well as I could have and failed to obtain the results I wanted as a result then I would be trying to deal with that for the rest of my life. It would have an adverse effect on my employment opportunities as well as an impact on my further education and social life.
If I fail to treat people with respect during year 11 and 12, or for that matter during my life, then it is doubtful that I would even have the opportunity to complete my schooling. But it would also mean that others would not treat me well in return. As a result I could find myself in a rut. No friends, no education and not much of a future.
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He let me stay. ;)
Sometimes at recess there was cake or biscuits in his office.
He stopped bothering to comment on the cigarette smell after a few weeks..
I was somewhat of a reluctant student, but in the end I valued what Steve O'Kell had to teach me, and I'm indebted to him for investing in me. He could very well have just burned me, instead he helped me. I appreciate that.
“No man is an island.”
In the end I finished high-school with a good HSC result, and gained entry into the university course that I wanted. Well done me. ;)