Crystal C Rivas

ENG 11, Section: 1853

September 12, 2008

                                             “Read Me”                                               

            Room 615, in Colston Hall, located deep within Bronx Community College is full of huddled desks with a student in each one.  The green chalk board is dusty white from the constant writing and erasing it’s forced under.  The windows are large and when opened reveal a breath taking view of the city.  There’s a bulletin board with colorful posters advertising inspirational messages such as, “For success attitude is as important as ability.”  The poster’s splash of color contrasts well against the plain white walls.  The room is of moderate size, and seems to decrease in size as students continue to walk in.  The room is flooded with conversation as Dr Sedore, the English 11 instructor, walks around the room checking the progress of his students.  Most of the students are sitting face to face, but a few sit side by side.  Aaron Williams sits facing me. 

            Teaching and children fit together like a perfect puzzle but when writing is added, that puzzle can turn in to a fascinating collage. Aaron Williams, age 22, born and raised in Bronx, NY is majoring in Education at Bronx Community college.  She chose Bronx Community College because it was close to home, and she wanted to be apart of the CUNY system. Why would anyone want to be a teacher I wonder, let alone a writer?  The trials and tribulations that are on this path can lead to many set backs.  It takes major dedication and a sense of purpose to rise and accomplish this challenge successfully.  Everyone has their own reasons for making the decisions they make and Aaron is no exception.   

            Aaron speaks clearly. There is a confidence she reveals as she looks at me straight in the eye without a flicker of self doubt.  She sits upright in her chair with an indescribable comfort.  Her clothes are casual and impeccable.  Her shoes and shirt are matching and she wears knee high jeans.  Her dark hair is lifted into a neat ponytail placed perfectly on the top of her head.  She smiles often as she speaks.  Her warm brown eyes look towards me with ease. 

            She is an aspiring teacher.  She hopes that having a major in Education will bring her closer to her goals of teaching at a pre-school and owning her own Daycare.  She revealed her immense love of children.  With having a son of her own, she has a desire to reach out to other children who could benefit from her knowledge and the knowledge she has been able to pass on to her son.  Teaching is not easy, especially teaching children who are still developing both mentally and physically.  Aaron understands that the task she has chosen for herself will be a difficult one, but it won’t change the decision she has already made for herself and her family.   She enjoys school herself and hopes to be able to incorporate all the different teaching methods that she experienced from other teachers into her own class room of children.

            A poet in her own time, most of Aaron’s best writing experiences are, “Anytime one of my poems is appreciated or even acknowledged.”  She enjoys reading authors that range from Michael Moore to romance novelists Eric Scholleser, and Julin Quinn, but she doesn’t want to be a novelist.  No, she wants to write something that she feels will contribute to her ultimate goals, and will affect young minds in a positive and inspiring way.  She wants to write children’s books.  She wants to create a story that she will be able to share with her son, and communicate with him in the language that he is most familiar with, but writing isn’t easy. One has to know how to give, receive, and handle criticism constructively. “I have no problem with telling someone when something isn’t right, could be better, or is perfectly fine; Therefore, I expect the same in return.” Children’s books come across scrutinizing eyes daily, and so do teachers.  Aaron has revealed her readiness for such attention.

            To bring these two worlds together is a difficult task that takes much dedication and planning.  Aaron has already the right idea as she shares her plans with me.  “I’m hoping that once I write my book I’ll read it to my son.  Depending on how well he receives it, my next step is to read it to the students in his class.  And hopefully, one day I will be able to share my stories with my own class room of students.”            

Here in room 615, I sit facing Aaron Williams.  She communicates eloquently and sits calmly in her chair with a slight smile on her face.  Her goals for the future can inspire the most unmotivated individual you can imagine.  I believe she will succeed in becoming a teacher, daycare owner, and children’s book writer.  Adding writing to her goal of teaching will allow her to step into the mind of the child in a more creative way.  And I am sure that when the time comes I will be in line to purchase Aaron’s book for my children.