Question 1: Describe in 4-5 sentences a memory you recall from when you were learning something in elementary or middle school.

This is a difficult question because it was sooooooo long ago. I honestly don’t remember specific learning experiences in elementary or middle school, however there are tidbits of information that stuck with me over the years for the simple reason that I learned them as a song. For example, I can remember the names of all the presidents of the United States as well as a list of prepositions because we sung them to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy. I can’t remember why we learned them, and I’m sad to say that this information has been useless in my adult life (so far), but I still find myself singing these songs every now and then.

Question 2: Describe in 4-5 sentences a memory you recall from when you were learning something in high school or college. I majored in Computer Science in college and consider myself self-taught. My classes were mostly taught by instructors that were difficult to understand, harder to reach for help, and seemed more concerned with research than teaching. I felt lost during most of the class lectures and therefore my learning resulted from hours of trial and error in the lab or working with tutors, when they were available. However, I believe this experience allowed me to become a very self-sufficient problem solver.

Question 3: Describe in 4-5 sentences a memory you recall from when you were learning in a professional for formal (non-school) setting (first job, current career, etc.). I had to become certified as an ethical hacker for my 2nd job out of college which required an intensive 9 week class followed by an exam. The class was taught by other practitioners who weren’t really trained on how to teach. They spent most of their time doing pen testing demonstrations with little explanation. They then had us do hands-on exercises from a workbook for hours each day. It was torture!