Education May Take Many Twists - Part 2

A Math Class that was Different

When I got to grade 9, I realized that math was not a subject for me. However, because it was on the “required” curriculum, I took the course.  Thankfully, two of my good friends found math a breeze, and then helped me get the right answers.

The three of us usually sat in a corner at the back of the room, often chatting during class. We soon realized that our math teacher seemed to know less than I did! We discovered that any time a class member asked a question, he immediately would go to the answer book which sat on the corner of his desk.

Our “devilish” minds concocted a scheme to embarrass the teacher. Someone from the class would head to the teacher’s desk to ask a question. A second person would the sneak up and grab the answer book before the teacher had a chance to look up an answer. We then watched as the teacher frantically searched for the answer book.

 

My Biology Class Game

While in the grade 11 biology class, a number of us concocted a game which we played during the class time. Our instructor spoke in a monotone which either put one asleep or made one do strange things. The classroom was set up in such a way that a chalkboard (yes, the old fashioned chalkboard) ran along a side wall, within easy reach of about 10 students who sat next to the wall.

While our teacher droned on, a number of us decided to see who could catch the most flies. About 4 or 5 students, including me, made a game of this by setting up a score card on the chalkboard. For each fly killed, a mark was made next to one’s name.

Again, just as in the math class, the teacher did not seem to notice the commotion made by one of us catching a fly, nor the getting up to mark our score. Our ‘game’ never seemed to affect the teacher in any way. In fact none of us suffered a reduction in neither marks nor a negative statement on our report card. Seems that our teacher was totally oblivious to our inattention!

 

How does Elder Wisdom fit in all of this?

After some 67 years, I wonder about the treatment of my high school teachers. What have I learned from such behaviours? I grew up in a family of teachers, and as the youngest of twelve, I was determined to set a different path for myself.  All through my schooling I insisted on taking courses that would lead me away from teaching. Despite my protestations, I did teach for a number of years. How did my own actions in high school affect my teaching and life? All my siblings, except one, have died. I never spoke to them about my high school shenanigans. I wonder now what they would have said.

Allow me to suggest a few take-a-ways from my experiences.

1.       Teaching is a tough occupation. I realized that when I stepped into the classroom as the teacher and not as a student. To keeps the attention of each student takes a lot of effort.

2.       Both of the above mentioned teachers have died quite a few years ago. Therefore, I am too late in sending them a note expressing shame and sorrow concerning my actions. I now live with my mistakes and hope I can use that knowledge to help others in some way.

3.       Teaching a course for which you are not prepared is terrible. I remember one course assigned to me for which I really had no preparation. To attempt to make the classes challenging, I needed to work long hours nightly, just to stay ahead of the students. I often wonder what stories they told each other about this struggling teacher!

4.       I believe a teacher must love the subject and the students in order to be most effective. I have wondered many times about these high school teachers—did they want to teach those subjects, or were they merely hoping to get to the end of each class or term? 

     I hope these comments will help you reflect on your school days. What changes would you wish for? Is there space to help the next generation avoid some pitfalls from our growing up years? How has your past contributed to your present psyche?