Think carefully about the following incomplete statement. Then read the assignment below it and plan and write your essay as directed.

“I have learned many things from many experiences, but I have never learned as much as when I ___.”

I learned a lot about life during my summer as a camp counselor. I had been going to the camp as a camper since I was eight, but this time I was going to be a counselor. I had to lead activities and make sure the campers took care of themselves in the morning and at night. I also had to make sure they behaved themselves in the dinner hall.

      One time a lot of the campers were misbahaving and not doing they’re morning chores. The head counselor came in and discovered the chaos in the cabin. He singled out one camper who had done everything he should of and told the other campers that they should be more like Michael. When the head counselor left, all the other campers started making fun of Michael and called him a teacher’s pet. Michael got very upset and told me he wanted to leave camp and go back home. I learned that being singled out sometimes makes you feel bad even if it is for something good. I told Michael that he should ignore what the other kids saying and stay at camp because things would get better. And they did!

You wouldn’t think you could learn much from a karate class apart from how to defend yourself, but I certainly did. Karate gave me so much respect for myself. I truly believe I would have turned out a very different person if I had not started taking karate lessons at the age of twelve.

      From the very first class, my teacher taught me the importance of wearing a clean, properly arranged uniform. I had to learn how to tie my belt in the traditional way and also how to keep it in place while doing all the exercises. If the belt comes undone, you are supposed to turn around to face the back of the class while you retie it. If you look presentable, other people will respect you, but in order to look presentable you first have to respect yourself.

      All in all, taking karate lessons taught me about alot more than just how to defend myself. It taught me how to take care of my uniform and make myself presentable. It taught me that not paying attention can get you into much worse trouble than just being told off by the teacher. I learned so much in karate that I’m glad me parents signed me up for it, even though I wasn’t crazy about getting started at the time.

The most meaningful learning experience of my life occurred when I helped my friend Keiko draft her first essay in English. I expected to learn a lot about Japanese culture while helping Keiko write about moving from Japan to America. What I did not expect, however, was how much I would learn about my own culture. Additionally, I was surprised by what I learned about being teacher and the experience of working in unfamiliar surroundings.

      Keiko grew up in Tokyo, a city I had always assumed was similar to New York, my hometown and Keiko’s home for three months. Keiko wrote about how, in Tokyo, even though it is considered a faux pas if you bump into another person on the street, people don’t mind being jostled on the crowded subway system. I realized that New Yorkers tend to follow the same behavior and expect the same sort of response from others in similar situations. What makes New York special is the attitude people display and expect others to display whatever the situation. Whether you are walking through a quiet part of Central Park or struggling through a crowd on Wall Street, people think nothing of it if you bump into them, provided that you say “Excuse Me.”

      Teaching Keiko how to write in English showed me how much one can lean about a subject just through the act of teaching. Helping Keiko understand the principles of English forced me to examine many grammatical rules I had never really understood before. For example, I never fully understood how to use a semicolon before researching the subject with Keiko. I truly believe that I learned as much about English as Keiko did from our lessons.

      All things considered, becoming a teacher to a friend in need was the most educational experience of my life. Having faced some of the challenges they confront everyday, I have a newfound respect for teachers and I hope to continue teaching throughout my life.