The truth is that I was an excellent student. I was the type that people hate, because school has always been easy for me (except Math, which I got B's and C's in). Texting with a former student who is like a daughter to me, she insinuates that I too, must have been as wild as the 3rd graders I was subbing today. Ha! I thought. That came later. I was a goody-two-shoes, know-it-all child in grade school that excelled in everything. Now, in junior high, I was the popular, friendly, outgoing, athletic (believe it or not!) girl. Call me the "queen bee". I say that because I think that often with my former students they are mistaken that I was the snotty, bratty, yet popular girl in high school. Not so. I had mellowed a lot between junior high and high school truth be told, and in high school was shy, with just a handful of close friends, but many friendly acquaintances, and I was not a pain in the butt to teachers...at least not like I was in junior high. Then? Yes, I was indeed rowdy, talkative and mouthy at times. In high school, I will admit that though I got good grades, and though I was quieter, I did have a few downfalls: boys, and manipulating the system. Hear me out. I have always liked boys...I never remember thinking they had cooties! Though I was never quite a tomboy, and though in the way that I dress and carry myself I may seem like the girly girl, I have never been interested in the petty squabbles that girls can have. Things like I can't believe she kissed that guy, or did you see what she was wearing, or Mary has no right to like the guy I like...those things do not interest me at all. In fact, they anti-interest me. In that way, I have always felt like at least part of my mind was more aligned with how boys think. Boys tend to tell it like it is, they see the big picture, and they don't worry as much about other people's business. Because of that, I often had boy friends and boyfriends throughout both junior high and high school. I think I still relate to boys better, and it's probably no accident that I have sons. Now, confession time here. By manipulating the system I am referring to the fact of life that students who get good grades and are generally quiet get away with more. For example, I was getting a 'C' in one of my high school math classes, and I didn't even attend it once a week. The teacher probably should have cared, but I was quiet and got great grades in other classes, so he let me go practice my lines for whichever play I was in (I acted in high school). Another example...I rarely went to PE. Okay, you try being a senior with 8th period PE...a class that means nothing on your transcripts after the regular school day was over. The teacher (a football coach) who taught the class basically pulled me aside and said something to the effect of he knew that I did very well in school, knew I didn't care what I got in PE, and could I just show up often enough for class so that he could pass me? Righty-O Coach!
The truth is, often we appear different than how we seem. :) Though I may have once been loud and boisterous, and maybe now can laugh and joke with students of all ages, I have at times been quite the opposite!
I tried to stalk myself and find an old high school photo or newspaper article from one of the plays I was in...but alas, I guess 13+ years is too long! If I find any, I will make sure to post for a good laugh :)
No comments:
Post a Comment