I Remember the First and Only Time I Yelled at a Teacher in Class
Growing up in the United States as a female child of immigrants from Taiwan, this moment in time was a defining moment in my life that changed the direction of my future. I was the only Asian American in my class at the time and was often looked down upon by my peers for my cultural differences.
I was in the sixth grade at the time and was learning about American government. My teacher was explaining the structure of the three branches of the U.S. government. I was frustrated and confused because I had been taught at home that there were five branches of government in Taiwan.
During the lesson, I couldn’t help but think that our teachers were only teaching us about the U.S. government and not about the government of our own countries, and that felt like my culture was being ignored. This frustration built up and, before I knew it, I had raised my hand and yelled out in the classroom, “Why don’t we learn about the government of Taiwan?”
My teacher was taken aback by my outburst and proceeded to lecture me about the importance of respecting my teachers. My classmates were also in shock at my behavior and laughed nervously.
At the time, I felt embarrassed and regretful about my outburst. I was expecting to be reprimanded or punished for my actions, but surprisingly my teacher didn’t scold me. Instead, she apologized for not taking into account the cultural differences that I was facing. That day, she made a point to introduce a lesson about the Taiwanese government and gave me the attention and respect that I was seeking.
I was amazed that my teacher was willing to have an open dialogue with me, despite our cultural differences. This moment in time has stuck with me throughout my life and has taught me the importance of respecting different cultures.
It also made me realize the importance of speaking up and advocating for what I believe in. My teacher’s actions inspired me to pursue a career in public policy where I can make a difference and fight for the rights of all people, regardless of their backgrounds.
This defining moment in time has made me realize that even the smallest of actions can lead to greater change. I am thankful for my teacher, who had the courage to listen to me and take into account my perspective. This experience taught me to celebrate our differences and advocate for what I believe in.
