It's funny, once upon a time my sisters and I used to go through my parents' yearbooks asking questions and laughing at how old everyone looked. We learned of my mother's distaste for her gym classes and my father's break-ins to the school as a mischievous learner. The haircuts were hilarious and the love triangles ubiquitous. In some ways, their stories grounded us for our own.
In fact, last night Vickie Weston contacted me (as Syracuse was playing Florida State) and we once again tripped backwards to 1985-1990 when we were NSJH Nighthawks and CNS Northstars. In short, we created our own memories and did school because we were supposed to and, I doubt, we ever questioned the education we received. Instead, we had our 3 floors, sprinted from one end of the school to the other to get to class on time, and were part of a tremendous social order (even though we didn't know it). In summary, our education was great - safe, traditional and good enough to move toward the next phase of life. It is hilarious to think back to those times, though, just like it was/is for my parents.
Anyone who graduates can say, "That was yesterday." Try teaching for a living - it all blurs.
As part of the Philosophy class, I'm having my students write their own bibliography, and asking them to question, wonder and think critically about the education they received (and if it was 100% in school - I know I learned so much from working at Great Northern Mall, a good thing, and my 9th grade snowbank fiasco - a bad thing). I also know that I learned so much from my parents and grandparents that was never measured by anything in school.
My thinking is that before a student can think about their philosophy, they need to interrogate the traditions they took for granted.
I always say that I received a solid education, and with aptitude for math and science, I loved my high school experiences. Still, it was classes like Tools for Change and my senior English class (love me some eccentrics) that led me on the path to where I am today.
It's interesting to think about what was valued, normed, regular and routine (like Gordy, the security guard, who yelled when you tried to leave early). Every school has its hidden knowledge and practices (like, I didn't know who my Principal was. Why would why? And yes, I knew who used the theater's prop room for inappropriate activities). Learning transcends what is measured by tests.
Ah, but I remember Regents tests and I was good at them. I especially remember receiving 100s on them because I studied and gamed the routines, and also hearing from the smartest kids in the class, "There's no way you did that well."
Whatever. I never would want to return to high school, but it would be funny to watch a sitcom based on our generation of high schoolers. I always think in terms of my older sister, mesmerized by her friends and their maturity - and laugh now because even if they seemed ancient and sophisticated, they were big-haired idiots like the rest of us. Now, our ages blend.
So, today, we are talking self-studies of educational experiences. I can hardly wait.
And Zoolander is my icon for modeling previous autobiographies from yesteryear. I'm old. I admit it.
No comments:
Post a Comment