SPT: childhood school memories

First Year of School - Kindergarten '79-'80     Last Year of School - Teaching '02-'03   

I'm a long-time school-aholic.  Rather a learn-aholic.  I remember carefully preparing reports through my grade school years.  Not assignments, mind you.  "Research" on topics that grabbed my interest.  And the only time I remember being grounded it was from school.  I say my mom was brilliant.  What better torture for a 13-year-old with school love and mother angst? 

I like seeing these two pictures side-to-side. 

The first, a blank canvas.  Millions of bumps and curves waiting to propel in endless directions.  So often I look at my boys (or the other littles around me) and wonder at their emerging selves.  Here they sit at the start.  What are the events that will shape the person they are in that last picture?  What passions, sorrows, joys will fill their school years?  I fast forward in wonder, but really should be more content to watch the *becoming* unfold. 

Comments

[carlo]

Now that is a cool idea. I love that you posted both...

You have the kind and sweet smile that the children (and parents!) must have loved while you were teaching.

[Megan]

I remember sharing a room with you, and you were seriously obsessed with school, I never understood your drive to do unassigned homework or write reports just for yourself.
The other day I wrote that Collin should be your stubborn child, well now I'm realizing that Talin could have come from you as well. He has been arriving home from kindergarten to sit at the table and insist that he has homework that must be done. Then he sits there and does all kinds of things, like writing out ABC's and numbers and words, and all without my help or encouragement, I already think that eight hours a day is enough for my little five year old. I hardly think he needs to come home and do hours of homework on top of it. You'd be impressed, he's like a little Amy.

[Elizabeth]

I wonder and wonder how my kids experiences will be also. You can only control so much for them.

[jenny c.]

I love the side by side idea. I am always thinking about and comparing myself to my children. I often try and "hide" the report card from my kids at their age because I wasn't as studious as they are. Thankfully so far they take after their dad.

P.S. How funny about Anne. Did you know Kari Jensen, Jamie McMahon, or Alyssa Pierce?

[Tiffany]

What nice photos! So fun! In our family we were occasionally grounded from reading...

In a comment on a comment--I grew up with Keri and Alisa! How fun to see them mentioned. :)

[Mandi]

I liked the idea of the two photos side by side and the growth that went on between the two. You were such a cute little girl. It does make you wonder what experiences will shape your children.

[Marie]

I often look at my kids and wonder who and what they will be. I so want them to have a happy, positve youth, have friends, do well in school, not struggle, but I know there will be sad things for them that I can't control, and that kills me.

[Kelly]

So my attempts at mobile commenting didn't work.

What I was going to say this afternoon was: I see glimpses of your boys in the little girl Amy picture. I love that you have pictures of both your school perspectives.

[lelly]

i love the juxtoposition of the two photos! brilliant!

i am very much the same way - i am a lover of learning, quick to jump in headfirst, all the way.

and then, almost as quickly, off to the next thing. (this is how i managed to play something like 11 musical instruments!)

[Price Cream Parlor]

I love your take on this post today. What a beauty you are!

[Barb]

I see your boys in that first picture. So cute.

[Mandy]

so, to copy everyone else, your boys do look so much like you. Cute pictures of you.

[Lucy]

I love your side by side. And you do have a way with words. Must be that love of learning:)

[Brynn]

That is so cool Amy! You impress me with what tools you use to teach your kids. Who are so cute, by the way!

[Amy]

Jenny - all of those names are totally familiar to me, as were the faces, but I didn't really know any of those three. Did Jami M. go to Poston? She seems most familiar somehow. I hate how my memory is so far gone!

[Jill]

How interesting to have those two photos side by side like that and to have your thoughts to go with them. I've never heard of a parent grounding their child FROM school before, but that would have been an effective punishment for me while in high school so I totally get it.