School Daze
Elementary school was a nightmare for me. I absolutely hated it. I personally think teachers can make or break you. My first teacher broke me. She was constantly paddling a kid in that room. Sometimes it was me. I can't say that was the main reason she "broke" me though. It's funny how you can remember mostly really good things or really bad things of your childhood ,but rarely the grey areas. The thing she did that broke me was when she made me sit at my desk one day when I had a stomach virus. I remember asking her if I could go to the bathroom because I was feeling sick. She said no. Instead of letting me go to the bathroom, she set a trashcan next to my little school desk and told me to use it if I got sick. I got sick alright. I threw up in that can most of the day while all the other kids in the room laughed at me. I begged her to let me call my mom. She wouldn't. I won't say that I hated her but she was by far my NOT so favorite teacher.
The next few teachers I had in elementary school loved hitting children as well. I did have one teacher in the 5th grade that called my mother and told mom I hated her. I didn't hate that teacher at all. It was just that my friends were in another room and by then, I was broken anyway. Thank God for my 6th grade year. God sent me some angels. The teacher I was originally assigned to had a death in the family and had to take off that year. I had three different substitute teachers that year. They were fresh out of college and seemed to be really young, unlike all the other teachers I had. They actually smiled and they liked kids. I could tell they did by the way they treated not only me, but the other kids in my room as well. I never felt threatened or out
of place like the other teachers made me feel. That was the first time I wanted to go to school and I enjoyed being there. They loved me and I loved them. They were the best! Thank you P.S, S.H and O.B. You MADE ME instead of breaking me.
Back in the 60's and 70's, you got to move up to the high school for 7th grade. This school is called the Middle School now. Back then, 7th & 8th grade were called junior high, but we were in the same building with the high school students. We didn't have to stay in class with one teacher all day when we went to the 7th grade. I liked most of the teachers, I had except for one. I think she taught Social Studies. She was another "old" teacher that didn't like to smile either. I remember going on a field trip with her class. My friend and I were sitting on the back seat. A car approached the back of the bus. Some guys were driving the car, so my friend and I started to wave at them. The teacher saw us waving at the car. We didn't have a clue what inappropriate hand gestures were. So I promise we were only waving. The teacher came to the back of the bus, screaming like a banshee, and put us on the front seat. I remember her saying that we could have caused the bus to wreck or something like that. I still to this day don't know what we did wrong. I don't care much for her now!
High School turned out much better for me, well, for the most part. I did have one teacher that gave me an F during one of the semester grades. I asked her why and she said it was because I didn't go on one of the field trips. My sister was in that very class with me. She didn't go on the field trip either. She got an A. My sister will tell you that this is true. And she wouldn't take up for me unless I was completely in the right. It was a personality conflict with that teacher, I guess. The sad part is, I loved that class and I worked really hard. I even did some of my sister's work because I enjoyed it. That
was the first and last time my mom went to school to battle for me. My mom won. I don't like that teacher much anymore either.
One time I stole a test off one of my teacher's desk in high school. I did this due to a dare from my friends. The sad thing about this adventure was that I knew every answer on that test before I stole it. I loved "To Kill A Mockingbird," so I already knew the test. And I loved that teacher. I wish I had stolen a math test instead. I never did understand math! I deserved to be punished for that one.
The teachers I loved were the teachers I tried really hard for. Those teachers made me feel like "somebody." They were kind to me and would tell me I could do anything I set my mind to. Mrs. V was my all time favorite teacher and she was the reason I tried harder at EVERYTHING. She was one rare teacher!! I called her recently and told her just that. I respected her and I still love her to this day. I also loved Mrs. D.G.M, Mrs. J.H, Mr. A, Mr. P, Mr. R, Mr. M, Mrs. L and several others.
Do I believe in discipline? YES. I also believe in being treated fairly! I could never be a teacher. It is a hard job and I respect most of them. But I will say, I don't think God will be waiting at the pearly gates to say, "Well Done," to a teacher that made a child sit in her seat to throw up. Nor do I think He will say, "Well Done" to a teacher that didn't give that one extra point to a student that gave 110%. I DO think God will say, "Well Done" to teachers like Mrs. V. She not only taught from the books but she taught from her heart as well.
By the way, Mrs. D.G.M - I still say, "I ain't got no." It's ok though. I remember the proper grammar. I just don't use it.
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