The affirmative action thread made me think about how little I learned in school before college. Now, when I got to college, it was my 12th school in 12 years, so maybe my experience was not totally average. But I went to schools in supposedly great school districts from grade one through half of fourth grade and then again for grade six and seven. I went to private school in fifth grade and eighth grade. And I went to public school in a supposedly bad school district for half of fourth grade and in kindergarten.
In kindergarten, I learned to share and be around other kids, but I also learned that I just couldn't get up in the morning and morning kindergarten was just not going to work for me.
In first grade, I learned to read.
In second grade, I started to learn how to share knowledge by teaching other students how to read. I also began to process that adults could be as cruel as children.
In third grade, I learned that sometimes punching someone in the face is more effective than going through proper channels and specifically that punching a bully in the face is shockingly effective.
In fourth grade, I learned that sometimes people get weird about what gender your friends are. I learned that adults could actually be much much crueler than children.
In fifth grade, I learned multiplication and sort of learned division. I had mostly figured out addition and subtraction and some % stuff on my own.
In sixth grade, I learned that I was very bad at handwriting and probably always would be, but I might have an aptitude for writing as well as reading.
In seventh grade, I went to school with a member of the Bush family who became our student body president and watching him run taught me how to successfully run for class president myself in tenth grade. I also learned that paying some minimal attention to personal grooming improved social interaction. I also learned some typing skills, partly because I needed to, but largely because I had this crush on a boy in my school, who I think had a crush on me too, but we were both too shy, so we would both come in for after school typing practice and it would be just the two of us typing and talking.
In eighth grade, I learned a little bit of Elizabethan and American history, just enough really so that I'm not totally surprised by the plot of The Tudors on Showtime. I started learning to play Dungeons & Dragons. My art teacher convinced me to never do art again and it was years before I came back to it.
And that is pretty much everything I learned in my first decade in classrooms. Seems like there should have been more to show for that much time spent in places I did not want to be, at times I did not want to be awake, with people I might never have chosen to be around on purpose.
Incidentally, my experience was that teachers in the best school districts tended to resent their students intensely because those teachers were less fortunate than their students' parents. Sensitive, artistic kids don't do particularly well with resentment.
11-08-2008 03:54 PM
One Eyed Cat
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
K-4 I went to Marcy School with Halcyon. Need you ask? I think that "gifted student" bullshit did a number on all of us. We were just kids. We're good peeps though now.
OEC
11-08-2008 04:14 PM
Morning Glory
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
I don't remember I was too high at the time.
No, but really. well not the high part. I can't think of any real specific curriculum that I learned. I remember in 9 or 10th grade we had to memorize the names, locations and capitals of all the countries in Africa. Out of the class of around 30 kids only 4 of them were able to pass the test and half of them even cheated on it and still failed. maybe my class was really dumb, I'm not sure.
But I do know that my education consisted almost exclusively of the ability to recite trivial facts that were almost instantly forgotten after they were written down on the test. Later on in highschool I went to a more unconventional school and there were a few inspired teachers that actually made learning seem relevent.
One thing that really sucks is my math comprehension is like at 5th grade level, since after highschool you never have to do anything in your personal life above simple multiplication and division, and maybe occasionally fractions. I think that even most algebra would seem like a foreign language at this point.
11-08-2008 06:19 PM
Ajax Knucklebones
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Honestly, I learned not to believe everything an adult tells you.
I actually had a teacher once who told the students that if you masterbated then you were gay because you were touching YOURSELF. Swear. And he really believed this to be true.
I also believed that guidance counslers were assholes and shouldn't be on the payroll. Mine told me that it was a waste of my time to apply to the colleges I wanted to go to. I applied to all of them anyway and got accepted into ALL of them, so fuck that douche bag.
11-08-2008 06:25 PM
Ajax Knucklebones
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Morning Glory
I don't remember I was too high at the time.
No, but really. well not the high part. I can't think of any real specific curriculum that I learned. I remember in 9 or 10th grade we had to memorize the names, locations and capitals of all the countries in Africa. Out of the class of around 30 kids only 4 of them were able to pass the test and half of them even cheated on it and still failed. maybe my class was really dumb, I'm not sure.
But I do know that my education consisted almost exclusively of the ability to recite trivial facts that were almost instantly forgotten after they were written down on the test. Later on in highschool I went to a more unconventional school and there were a few inspired teachers that actually made learning seem relevent.
One thing that really sucks is my math comprehension is like at 5th grade level, since after highschool you never have to do anything in your personal life above simple multiplication and division, and maybe occasionally fractions. I think that even most algebra would seem like a foreign language at this point.
Chances are that my math skills now are at a third grade level and I'm a banker...Haha! And I was a very good mathematics student too. I don't feel bad about it though, because it just goes to show you how so much math is really worthless unless you're working in a specific field that requires excellent math skills. I do not believe though that many fields require such knowledge. Please tell me the field that would require long division PLEASE!
As far as the trivia facts thing, I'm was the same way in school. I'd study and get an A on the test. Give me the same test two weeks later and I'd probably fail.
11-08-2008 06:37 PM
Morning Glory
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Oh, yeah, I remember art class. I took it like 5 times it seems. that was always fun.
11-08-2008 06:57 PM
a_small_death
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
All I remember is say no to school, do drugs, and you too can find work.
11-09-2008 12:52 AM
Mr Karl
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
elementary school?...............didn't learn much usefull...............I did learn a lot of stuff in high school that I've been able to apply in day to day living and working, wether elementery school provided a foundation for being able to use stuff I learned later in life I don't know
11-09-2008 08:57 AM
J. Babington
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
This sounds fun Hmmm
...
Preschool: "james dont draw in all black and red its not polite"
1st: Basic addition and learing that the rainbow doesn't have black in it
2nd: i dont remember to well but i know i was always on the swings^^
3rd: RTC went down and i was sad and mad at the "bad guys"-multiplication and intro to division, also got in trouble for drawing tanks and warmahicnes and trucks with beds of missiles and misc weapons
4th:division is all i do and know, I begin to wear a hoodie 24/7 do to i was afriad of people looking at my butt(since the hoddie was long enough to hide my butt i was eh ok, i know weird right and im a friggin guy)
5th: was pulled out of normal school then home schooled and had ZERO friends making me feel like shit but at this time i buried my head in harry potter books, also did alot of history study on presidents and learning to stop sucking my thumb (yeah weird i know )
6th: ah the fresh smell of pheromones and back in normal public school i started going to the table where no on sits since i was scared of people. also learning how to stand up for my self...got kick in the face when running through the swings by my crush while she was swinging
7th: musical arts and BS astrology and having my first girlfriend for 9 months 18 days(but sadly she wasnt the one from 6th grade year but a new girl how was in my music and S.S class)
8th:majorly freaking out scared of everyone, drama in the air i choose to fail this grade becuase i didnt wanna go to the high school, aklso learning how to do sports (XP yuck)
Summer school: first time testing sexuality and brought a knife on the last day so i got kicked out and fail summer school
8th(again):same as last year except no friends from last year, learning more stuff about human psychology and how to bend the rules
9-12th: leaving out details since i was skipping school and lieing most of time when i was sleeping in class
...
uh i think thats it other than minor relationship details and such
11-09-2008 09:35 AM
DonkeyMoses
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
I didn't learn nothin'.
11-09-2008 03:07 PM
theUnclean
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
'oly crap. elementary school?
Had a crush on a teacher, got beat up a few times, gave some beat downs, started caring for young siblings, jumped from school to school (had 4 in 3 years), forgot most of my 1st language (spanish)...can't really recall much lessons tho.
11-09-2008 03:12 PM
DoctorZ
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Babington
This sounds fun Hmmm
...
Preschool: "james dont draw in all black and red its not polite"
What?
11-09-2008 11:45 PM
J. Babington
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
well DoctorZ my parents always said the teacher would have to take the crayons from my hands because that's all i used to draw with....yeah its stupid but thats all i di in preschool other then kick people >.>.
11-10-2008 09:49 AM
DoctorZ
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
No, I mean how is it impolite to draw only in red in black?
That's like saying "Don't walk like that, there are children starving in Africa."
Uh..that was a really long time ago. I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday.
11-10-2008 11:38 AM
soma_stardust
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
i learned that i don't fit in anywhere, and i don't have to try hard to get good grades. so i might as well slack off and get average grades. i also learned to be afraid of everything, and to fear authority figures.
preschool: puke is gross. boys are fun to kiss. death is scary.
K: something about finger painting, heights are dangerous. tanbark gives you splinters.
1: don't daydream in class or a note will get sent home. kissing everybody doesn't make you popular.
2: wrote my first poem, which i remember. best friends can be your biggest bullies.
3: boys are mean. some kid showed me his penis, the same kid drew piddle coming out of a horse i'd drawn. another boy i knew drew unicorns and read the babysitter's club. kids can make fun of your name no matter what
4: huh. 4th grade... hm... i learned how to spell my teacher's name?
5: started playing the flute. grandma shouldn't cut my hair. don't lie about having done an assignment you didn't do. grandparents don't buy you cool clothes, even when you're specific about what you want. R.E.M. rules. dads go away, but so do step-mothers.
6: um.... adolescent girls are bitches
7: the cute boys will always ignore you. the cool girls will always be mean.
8: wearing pants in the summer to protest not being able to shave your legs doesn't work, it's just hot. bleeding from my cooter is not fun, and doesn't make me feel any more grown-up. making friends just means you're going to lose them.
fun times.
11-10-2008 11:47 AM
soma_stardust
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
oh yeah.....
pre-school and on: books are the best thing ever
grade 5 and on: computer/nintendo games are my best friends
11-10-2008 01:50 PM
Head Wreck
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
we dont have the same school system here so:
infant school
0 (not known by a year number) how to interact with others, and that others developed at seperate rates. attempted to learn my own name. got bored of the books they gave me pretty damn quick and thought there was something wrong with everyone else, i mean they can spell their names (which i couldnt, why did my pearents have to choose a name thats bloody long) but are struggling to read simple things
1 started to learn very simple math. discovered in addition to my name i really couldnt add two numbers together. what is concussion
2 finaly learned to spell my name. fascinated by the stuffed Raven in the corner of the room, learned that sticking my fingers in the electric sharpener did not hurt, but caused an allmighty fuss and panic. i gues you can say my first practical joke. i find it hard to keep my attention on things for long
Primary school
3. learned that the friends i have may not be the friends in future as i was seperate school from one of my best friends (who went to a welsh language school).
4 if you cant fight, soak up the damage and wait untill thier back is turned. again bored with litrature there, snuck into the adult section of the towns library during visits and started reading dracula, frankenstien etc.
5. still seemingly unable to learn the multiplication tables, excelled at geographic progressions and algebra. identified as dyslexic.
6. the people who are in charge of providing help usually dont want to do it unless you force them. not many share my opinions on simple stuff.
Comprehensive school
7. i'm short. unusually so. started proper science lessons.
8. people are arrogant. teachers can be proved wrong. the Christian union doesn't like you proving their lessons wrong.
9. sats exams. for making the school look bad on legue tables you will be put in a lower class for the rest of the school term, despite what they said
10. there are some teachers that will not like you for no other reason you can find
11. fighting against the descisions made 3 years ago was right, sat the higher paper which had more possibility of a pass grade. learned that the papers were the same and the whole system was a con. study on weekends is worth it. age 16 and a qualified benchfitter and welder. more than most kids have
collage was where i truly learned anything usefull.
11-10-2008 01:50 PM
OliX
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Oh... interesting topic.
I've been researching some things about elementary school last year and I'm totally against our school system.
Obedience. That's the goal of schools. Official reason doesn't say obedience, but of course many other reasons.Reality behind the school is taboo and shouldn't be named. Not because it's forbidden but because there is a unspoken agreement between us in our society to never say how it is.
Teachers in our school are as guards in any other company or institution and they are at least guilty as everybody else for continuing existence of school. Imagine that you could start over. Would you chose other classes like more art and stuff or would you follow the normal program?
There was a project in EU called The Playground Project. It was one of the many projects under the bigger project called Experimental School Environments that was concentrated on developing future school environment for children in age from 4 to 8 years old. That project was about develop kids thoughts and imagination using animation based program called ToonTalk. Now how freaky is that. Developers thought that children in age 7 to 11 were much better choice for the project but EU commission answered that those kids were already too "demolished" by too many years spend in school. And that was "off the record" answer. :|
Basically, elementary school prepares you for the legal slavery and makes you a future consumer. It damages greatly your creativity and your self expression.
School makes biggest damage to our society and to the future of our race.
It's our children that's going to be future politicians, future doctors and lawyers. Future workers of all sorts. It's them that's going to take care of us when we get old.
Only answer for now is home school. We have all information on our fingertips. Internet has made world revolution. Revolution of thoughts. Brought us all together.
With right material we can raise our children at school. I've been watching documentaries about wonder children and trust me. Every baby is special. Children learn from first day. Talk to them already first day. They'll understand. In Sarajevo there's already talks about starting teaching philosophy and martial arts in preschool . Look at the Chinese and Japanese. :D They're doing great......
......
.....where was I?
Suddenly braindead.
Yes! Science fiction! It sound like science fiction when I say that social beings like school have own life. Living beings will survive. For survival they have to feed. And they already swallowed our whole future. Classing and sorting our children by age, sex and class.
11-10-2008 02:00 PM
OliX
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
Edit: Wtf is wrong with youtube. -.- I had to google the name of the song to get the link.
Edit 2: Suddenly works :) This was suposed to be on the end of the text -.-
11-10-2008 02:18 PM
OliX
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
It is fun remembering school days and childhood. Unfortunately I have absolutely no memories of it.
When I was nine (started 4th grade) shit started, war in Yugoslavia. After that I changed 8 schools in 4 years. My father died when I was 7 and I have younger brother and sister.
I wish I had a childhood. I bet my kid will have a best one possible. :D
12-11-2008 04:36 AM
spyinxxx
Re: What did you learn in elementary school?
i found a love for chem and sciences in 6 grade, 9 grade i made my first explosive with this knowledge also my first synthesis of a drug :lalala: :newburn: