The Space between 1975 and 2005

Alderman Peel Secondary School, Wells-Next-The Sea, Norfolk, England.

I attended this school for the final two years of my secondary school education. The first three years I attended Sheringham Secondary Modern School which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately when we moved a mile away, I had to change schools which is why I was moved to Alderman Peel School. I was extremely unhappy and I was bullied so my time there was not a good experience.

It was my final year and in March 1975, the Headmaster called me into his office. He said, “You’ll never pass your exams at the end of term. You may as well leave now”. I did. I was 15.

In 1985 I moved to Miami to work as a Nanny for a year. It is now 2020 and I’m still here.

Returning to school never occurred to me probably because of my bad experience at Alderman Peel despite a forty year gap between then and 2005.

It was an ex-boyfriend who suggested I return to school. He had the utmost faith in my ability to achieve anything I wanted.

After applying for Financial Aid, I enrolled at Miami Dade College. I was to attend the North Campus.

The first hurdle was to take the CPT exam. 

I sat down in front of the computer in the exam room prepared to take Maths and English. In all honesty, I’d never been good at maths. When I began the test, of course I was nervous but when I saw the words Exponent and Parentheses, I was completely stumped. What in the world were they? I had never heard of them and the maths we did at my schools in England never covered them. Well if they did, I don’t remember.

As I progressed through the exam, I knew it wasn’t going to end well. I was correct (at least I was correct about something). My score was an abysmal 27. I had sailed through the English of course. They allow students to retake the test once - 27 again! I guess they must have used the original test to come up with another 27.

Next came the GED. There were two options with this. Do it online or in class. I chose the former. They had told me students were given up to three months to study for and complete the GED. I studied at home and completed and passed it in 3 weeks.

My GED Commencement was in May 2005. It was the first time I’d graduated from or with anything. My family back home in England were very proud.

In 2006 I was invited to speak to the next GED graduating class at their Commencement. It was quite an honour to be asked. As nervous as I was, I was very comfortable giving my speech. My Mum was in the audience and she had helped me prepare for my speech. She had a lot of experience in this field.  I knew where she sat in the audience but I avoided looking at her. I knew if I did, I would not have been able to hold it together.

As I had failed the maths I was told I would have to take at least 5 or 6 maths classes. Not something I was looking forward to.

Walking onto campus on my first day of my first class was quite exciting albeit a bit nerve wracking. The professor was nice enough but as I looked around the classroom, I realised I was old enough (46) to be a parent to any one of these young students. During the class students were walking out to go to the bathroom. This in itself was strange if not a bit rude but I learned it wasn’t necessary to raise a hand to ask permission. Not like in my day.

Ironically, I was the only one who passed this first class.

At one point I had to take an extremely difficult maths class. This class was held on Saturday and Sunday.

The professor walked in wearing fatigues and he had an intimidating presence. Unlike every other professor I encountered, he didn’t introduce himself or go around the class asking the students about themselves. He went straight into teaching so there was a calm but pressuring atmosphere in the room. He told us to open our books and proceeded to ask each of us a question. When he got to me, I told him I didn’t know the answer and to ask the person behind me. At the end of the class, I left the room and cried. The same thing happened the following day. On Monday, I went to talk to my advisor and she let me out of the class and offered me alternatives.

Different maths classes and a computer class. I passed them all.

With the help of a wonderful student body called TRIO, I succeeded with the rest of my maths classes. They offered, and still do, free one on one tutoring. I actually earned two awards from TRIO for my achievements. Working with fellow students on an individual basis was unbelievably helpful. Their patience with me and my inability to understand, was heartwarming.

Following this, I continued working on my AA in Early Education and in 2010 I graduated with Honours.

I didn’t stop there. I went on to earn an AA in Radio and Television Production and a BAS in TV, Film and Digital Production with Honours.

It was May 2015 and I had done it. Not to sound like a cliché but it’s never too late to learn.

I liked all of my professors with the exception of that very intimidating Maths professor.

Throughout my years at MDC, at least 99% of the time, I was the oldest student in the class. Actually I was also older than most of the professors.

It was an experience I am pleased to have gone through and I am very proud of myself for earning a GED, 50 hours Child Care Certification and an AA, AS and BAS.