The First Day Of School
Yesterday I wrote about the last day of summer vacation, and the pits and peaches I encountered this past school year-four jobs, a demotion that was not justified, and an ex-boss who owes me money for a bad check and unpaid wages. I wrote about how much I enjoy my new job and the sadness that would be part of my day when my handed over my charming class to kindergarten.
The school year is a time of new for many. New experience, new friends, new routine. Every parent goes through this every year, as does every child. As children get older, they encounter and adapt to new material, concepts and routines. Parents realize they are getting older (myself included) and find that the years are disappearing too soon. (I'm still trying to figure out what purpose wrinkles, crow's feet and cellulite have on Earth).
My first day of school as a child brings back the memory of a brand new pencil case with a lunch money pocket that smelled like plastic, fresh unused crayons and plain folders that were free of drawings and doodles. Making book covers out of paper bags. Catholic school uniforms. I liked most of my teachers, with the exception of Mrs. G in third grade. As I read "Arthur's Teacher Trouble" earlier this summer to my pre-K class, I realized that I felt the same way Arthur felt when he got "The Rat", aka Mr. Ratburn. "The Rat" was supposed to be a scary teacher that nobody wanted. That's how I felt about Mrs. G and she wasn't nice to me with my ADHD. Later, in "Arthur's Teacher Moves In", Arthur realized he was wrong about "The Rat", as Mr. Ratburn turned out to be a different person outside of school, doing magic tricks and sharing the same television shows as Arthur.
I wondered the same thing about my elementary school teachers, liking most of them. My favorites were the music teacher, Sister Agnes Ann and the librarian, Sister Patricia Ann. As I went onto junior high and eventually high school, I had public school teachers, and "mainstreamed" out of special education classes in most subjects with the exception of math.
School was ok. Depended largely on the teacher, and how they taught the material for a child with ADHD to grasp and understand it. Once I started college, I actually loved going to school, and I didn't like it when the semester ended. It was tough to go into winter and summer break. I was finally in a place where I could deal with my ADHD, and looked forward to going back to school every year. As of this writing, I am applying for admission as a transfer student to UW-Madison for a double major in Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology.
My favorite things about school? The candle I made in Miss R's class in second grade out of Pringle can, being uniform free in junior high and high school, Mc Guffey's Readers with Mama Phyllis in my homeschool, and the knowledge that I acquired throughout my academic career and beyond.
The most favorite thing of all was a Peanuts metal lunchbox. I loved it so much I hit a seventh grader in the face with it for picking on the little kids when I was in second grade. He left us alone after that.
Memories are made and the heart never forgets them.
The school year is a time of new for many. New experience, new friends, new routine. Every parent goes through this every year, as does every child. As children get older, they encounter and adapt to new material, concepts and routines. Parents realize they are getting older (myself included) and find that the years are disappearing too soon. (I'm still trying to figure out what purpose wrinkles, crow's feet and cellulite have on Earth).
My first day of school as a child brings back the memory of a brand new pencil case with a lunch money pocket that smelled like plastic, fresh unused crayons and plain folders that were free of drawings and doodles. Making book covers out of paper bags. Catholic school uniforms. I liked most of my teachers, with the exception of Mrs. G in third grade. As I read "Arthur's Teacher Trouble" earlier this summer to my pre-K class, I realized that I felt the same way Arthur felt when he got "The Rat", aka Mr. Ratburn. "The Rat" was supposed to be a scary teacher that nobody wanted. That's how I felt about Mrs. G and she wasn't nice to me with my ADHD. Later, in "Arthur's Teacher Moves In", Arthur realized he was wrong about "The Rat", as Mr. Ratburn turned out to be a different person outside of school, doing magic tricks and sharing the same television shows as Arthur.
I wondered the same thing about my elementary school teachers, liking most of them. My favorites were the music teacher, Sister Agnes Ann and the librarian, Sister Patricia Ann. As I went onto junior high and eventually high school, I had public school teachers, and "mainstreamed" out of special education classes in most subjects with the exception of math.
School was ok. Depended largely on the teacher, and how they taught the material for a child with ADHD to grasp and understand it. Once I started college, I actually loved going to school, and I didn't like it when the semester ended. It was tough to go into winter and summer break. I was finally in a place where I could deal with my ADHD, and looked forward to going back to school every year. As of this writing, I am applying for admission as a transfer student to UW-Madison for a double major in Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology.
My favorite things about school? The candle I made in Miss R's class in second grade out of Pringle can, being uniform free in junior high and high school, Mc Guffey's Readers with Mama Phyllis in my homeschool, and the knowledge that I acquired throughout my academic career and beyond.
The most favorite thing of all was a Peanuts metal lunchbox. I loved it so much I hit a seventh grader in the face with it for picking on the little kids when I was in second grade. He left us alone after that.
Memories are made and the heart never forgets them.
Comments
Post a Comment