From some of the comments I got the idea that some people felt sorry for me because of the hardships faced. There were challenges but I didn't hurt myself . I was a poor student. I was incredibly lazy. I skillfully got by doing the least possible.
I did my work except for one time that I remember and my friends will never let me forget it.
In Gr. 11 English we had a novel to study. Since there was very little teacher time, he wrote questions on the board for each chapter and we were supposed to write answers for the questions. No checking of the work...almost no checking. I did not do any of the questions. I faithfully copied every question in my book but wrote not one answer. One day about 11:50 the teacher decided to take a look in our books at the questions and how we were doing. Everybody knew I hadn't done anything. There was an air of tension. The kids were all waiting for me to get caught . It would be a lot of fun to see me get caught. So the teacher started at the front of my row and started checking. He was checking the student in front of me. Just then the bell rang for noon. I remember some of my buddies couldn't believe my good luck of not being checked. They've never let me forget this incident.
At the end of the year I would bring all my school stuff home and Mom told me to put it in the closet. I would come home and she would tell me to sort out what I didn't want and put it on the floor. I would come home a few months later and everything had been put back in the closet.
So my brother had the same teacher and novel study. My brother wanted to take a shortcut so he decided to get my book and copy the answers! Guess what. There were no answers for him to find.
So I wasn't exactly an angel. Math was checked every day. The teacher would ask each student for an answer. If something was wrong the teacher would explain the concept. Now I was pretty good in math . I did learn to factor trinomials. Does anybody remember trinomials? Does anybody remember how to factor trinomials? Does anybody remember what trinomials are for.? Has anybody ever used a trinomial since they left school? But I did my math.
So I was good sometimes and bad sometimes. However I don't need sympathy. I had the opportunity and got there.
Now I have all my report cards. Do you know why? You guessed it. Mom kept them all. I will not copy one report card to show you my marks.
Saved by the bell! That sure spoilt your classmates fun!
ReplyDeleteThere is no way we would have gotten away with not doing English work in year 11. Our teacher would have checked our homework without fail.
Trinomials? No idea what they are, you might guess maths are not my strong point.
Out of curiosity was education during your schooling run by the provincial or federal governments or by some other system?
Alphie
Education is under provincial jurisdiction. Then there are school bards that actually administer the day today operations.
DeleteLike you I was good at maths. Like you I was mentally lazy in many subjects at school. Unlike you I lacked the courage not to do my sums or any other written work come to think of it. I have no idea what a trinomial is. Presumably something I know by another name. I don't ever recall using a quadratic equation since I left school though.
ReplyDeleteI think you went to school in a much stricter regime. No canes here!
DeleteNo one is really perfect, at least I know I was not perfect as a child. I have some of my report cards. My memory is not best, some school work is long forgotten. Take care, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how our memory is when we are young.
DeleteI was not a stellar student either. According to my grade 12 yearbook, my favourite possession was undone homework.
ReplyDeleteObviously some of your classmates were watching you very closely.
DeleteMy brother and I discovered all of our report cards after our mother died too. It’s fun to have a look back to all those years ago. I look at our granddaughters and try to picture myself at their age. It is hard to imagine.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that we were every children. It's surprising what we find after our parents have passed on.
DeleteI was a lazy student too. I can relate. I bet your brother was annoyed that your questions weren't answered! Ha!
ReplyDeleteHe let me hear about this issue.
DeleteThere were some years I got straight A's and some where I got a C in Geometry. Math wasn't my best subject, and I wasn't particularly fond of Physics either. I wish I could go back in time and try again.
ReplyDeleteThere are many things we'd like to have a second chance at.
DeleteI think your series on your education was wonderful. We all had our ups and downs in school. You have many great memories from your time in school. I was not bad in math but I don't remember trinomials!
ReplyDeleteThere are many variables in our education. It's not just that there were good days and bad days. It was bigger than that.
DeleteLOL! Well, I may take back my congratulations, Red! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you were a normal student trying to get away with doing as little work as possible! I guess you learned something, though, because you have made it through life supporting yourself and writing a blog!
When I started this series I emphasized that we learned many things outside of the formal education.
DeleteI remember my parents had a big foot locker filled with old pictures and memorabilia such as report cards, etc. I don't know what ever happened to them. I was never much interested in keepsakes, although I do have a drawer filled with old cards and love letters from my past. I have no interest in going in there and looking around, but you are making me think maybe I should. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou were away from home and a lot went on with your younger siblings Things changed and sadly your stuff was probably disposed of as they thought it had been around long enough.
DeleteYour brother must have been surprised t see no answers. Funny story, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHe was very surprised and let me know about it.
DeleteYou are a lucky guy! Trinomals I will have to look that up:)
ReplyDeleteOh yes the x y stuff nope haven't used it at all:)
I think only the academics used highschool and higher mathe.
DeleteI was the opposite sort of student, answering every question religiously — in complete sentences with perfect handwriting. But trinomials? I must have passed that subject but I hated math and have never heard even the word “trinomial” since 11th grade, much less used the concept in real life!
ReplyDeleteHow many more things did we learn that we have not used . But you being a teacher know why these things were taught.
DeleteI'm surprised that people felt sorry for you, but maybe they just don't understand the difference in growing up rural and with limited resources as opposed to growing up in cities or towns.
ReplyDeleteYes, rural had a lot to do with it but you would understand the conditions and challenges.
DeleteTRINOMIALS? Good grief! I have no idea. I was NOT a good math student. In fact, I hated math. I remember in the 5th grade, purposely putting made up answers in a page of long divisions.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s hilarious that your brother didn’t have your answers. You were quite the character. Granted, you were a lucky character. I’m sure you became a very understanding teacher. I do love your mom.
Our Mom was the greatest. She was the biggest clutterer in the world. She had piles of stuff all over the place.
DeleteI was a fairly good student, but if a subject didn't interest me at all, like math once algebra got involved, I'd abandon it.
ReplyDeleteYes, some students could turn things right off.
DeleteI've enjoyed the stories about your school days.
ReplyDeleteThanks. They'd be much different than your school days. My wife went to school in England so I have an idea of the differences.
DeleteI did not feel sorry for you. I could see you were learning what life, as well as people, had to teach you. Trinomial, sninomial.
ReplyDeleteYou're right . the tougher things were the more we had to learn how to cope.
DeleteMy daughter saw my report cards once. She couldn't believe I had such poor marks. She was most disappointed with me.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I have never heard the word trinomials before, that I remember anyhow. When you started the story of your brother it reminded me of what I did in 11th grade English. My sister was three years older than me. She had written and turned in a wonderful paper on John Milton's Paradise Lost. Of course got an A+. I had the same English teacher. So three years later when I re-wrote her paper and turned it in, the teacher remembered it and gave me a failing grade. I deserved that failing grade! How dumb of me. :) Sounds like you were a good student...and a great teacher.
ReplyDeleteTrinomials? Of course I remember them. It was Latin for the three wise men, right?
ReplyDeleteWhat schools did you teach at? I went to Joseph Welsh, Eastview and the Comp. Wonder if you ever taught me.
ReplyDeleteYou are very droll!
ReplyDeleteI loved math.
When I was in grade 7, I was in a special group for kids that were better at Math an the Principal taught us. Once I got into junior high, I had a difficult time with math. I could never understand it in the year I was studying it. Yet miraculously I seemed to understand everything the following year without any help or extra study. Thankfully I ended high school with the A+ in math but I cannot say it is my favourite subject. I prefer words to numbers unless that number has 7 digits in my bank account, lol.
ReplyDeleteI went to a well resourced, big school in a big city and I was also one of those kids who got by on the smallest possible amount of work! That was maybe 30 years after you went to school but some things never change! Kids are kids and none of us ever appreciate what we have
ReplyDeleteoh i too faced such situation when i took advantage of my teacher's "not checking" attitude ,but i did my home work though i left copy at home to keep my bag lighter and guess what my teacher asked for checking at same day long story short i never tried to leave my weight at home
ReplyDeleteTrinomials? I am getting confused. They are either small glands next to your tonsils or alien beings in an early science fiction film called "The Trinomian Invasion".
ReplyDeleteYour school day stories are fun!
ReplyDelete