✨Highlights and Bombshells💥

[Love_Is_Blonde]

But when I was really figuring out how to deal with emotions at a formative age, my had a series of English teachers who just did everything right. I can’t say that I’ve done them justice with how I’ve dealt with my emotions since then. But they did everything right.

This. Is. Awesome.

 

[NeonSubtlety]

I was that kid in school who had a trail of papers flying out of her backpack as she walked down the hallway. I was so disorganized. I was a mess. I didn’t care about school. I got terrible grades. I didn’t really have supervision or structure at home to provide that example on how to be a good student so I wasn’t one. I look back on how long it took before I had a teacher who really took the time to help me- or maybe they did try but I wasn’t able to receive it yet.

I have blips of memories from school- some good, some bad. I went from a really rough school (I remember getting my butt handed to me by a couple of girls until my friend intervened), to a really swanky school when my mom got remarried. What a culture shock. Anyway at that fancy school, I learned organization. An invaluable skill. Organizing my desk. My calendar. My homewark assignment book. Even organizing the equations on my math work. I hadn’t even been lining them up correctly when adding or subtracting.

I learned that I was an above average reader. Not everyone was able to read like I could, or wanted to. and that was the first time I realized that I was maybe halfway intelligent.

As I moved up in school, I loved Art. My only AP courses I ever took were in Art. Painting and drawing. But I was told I wasn’t allowed to get a job in art so I didn’t pursue that skill.

As far as PE went, I played a lot of sports so that got me out of PE for the most part. I swam before school for practice, played field hockey and lacrosse.

We had religion class in Catholic school. I wasn’t Catholic so it always felt like I was out of place so I just sort of sat there and zoned out a bit.

But the time I made it to college, I’d matured into a fairly good student but it took me a long time to learn how to be a self sufficient student. I think that helped me to understand and to be come a better teacher now.

What up, fellow Catholic schooler…

Peace be with you…”and also with you.”

 

[Love_Is_Blonde]

What up, fellow Catholic schooler…

Peace be with you…”and also with you.”

* awkwardly Genuflects *

 

[NeonSubtlety]

* awkwardly Genuflects *

Well done subverting all the jokes about Catholic school girls on their knees. Great post. Loved the candor.

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

https://media4.giphy.com/media/JZjnqG4jCNjpG2HeC6/giphy.gif?cid=9b38fe91hx6unlryya5gkpqxw3xj453shgb6pkon40xzq1pr&ep=v1_gifs_related&rid=giphy.gif&ct=s
This is an interesting sidestep from personal development or growth. Looking at yourself through the lens of your zodiac sign can be an enlightening experience. Do you feel like the qualities of your sign fit your personality? Why or why not? If you’ve done your chart, you’ll know that everyone has a number of signs that reveal a lot about us. (There are a lot of sites that will calculate your chart; all you need is your birthdate, birth time, and birth place. If you don’t know the time, an approximation is usually ok.) It’s fun to hear what people’s Sun, Moon, Rising, Mercury, Venus and Mars are, and then a bonus for other planets. Then there are the houses… but anyway…that’s pretty personal. There are parts of my chart that I agree with and parts that I don’t see. I’d be curious to know who else has an interest in astrology.

Taking it too far or putting all of the blame for your problems on being a certain sign, etc. is unhealthy and not realistic, obviously. That sort of dependence on it is problematic to say the least.

Now, I know that this is a real turnoff, for lack of a better word, for some people, too. Sometimes when I discuss this with a mixed crowd of friends, I get some eye-rolling or scoffs. And that’s ok, too. But I love it and so I’m curious if others here do too and what your thoughts are.

I don’t put any stock in it scientifically , as in thinking the position of distant objects actually influence my development. But I think sociologically they certainly do. I have had my chart done, my mom had a lot of woo-hoo friends. I grew up knowing what my sign was and how it was supposed to make me act, it absolutely has had an impact on my development. Any astrology nerd subsequently has never been surprised at my chart.

It’s a fun thing to talk about. It’s not any more useless than any other personality profiles out there. And has the advantage of being a Way of thinking about ourselves that’s been refined through hundreds if not thousands of generations. Even if it’s not prediction it’s useful reflection.

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

I don’t put any stock in it scientifically , as in thinking the position of distant objects actually influence my development. But I think sociologically they certainly do. I have had my chart done, my mom had a lot of woo-hoo friends. I grew up knowing what mi song was and how it was supposed to make me act, it absolutely has had an impact on my development. Any astrology nerd subsequently has never been surprised at my chart.

It’s a fun thing to talk about. It’s not any more useless than any other personality profiles out there. And has the advantage of being a Way of thinking about ourselves that’s been refined through hundreds if not thousands of generations. Even if it’s not prediction it’s useful reflection.

Wait, is Friday long enough ago that I shoulda made this yellow?

 

[Love_Is_Blonde]

Wait, is Friday long enough ago that I shoulda made this yellow?

You could have highlighted. I’m not sure that you deserve a punishment though?

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

You could have highlighted. I’m not sure that you deserve a punishment though?

There’s punishment? I don’t like being punished. Imma star student!

No I was just clarifying the purpose.

 

[Love_Is_Blonde]

There’s punishment? I don’t like being punished. Imma star student!

No I was just clarifying the purpose.

Well @AmberLGreen was not messing around with being .. oh what was her title? Some sort of disciplinarian. She was getting fairly creative.

But anyhow.. yes you could have highlighted but it’s been less than a week so I don’t think that you needed to.

 

[RosewoodTulip]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school? What was your least favorite? Why? Did you have something that came naturally to you? Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous?

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Ah school.
School was not a good place.

English secondary schools (age 11-16) are an experience haha but I feel like I endured it.

I grew up in a small northern, working class town that is locally classed as "rough". I did not fit in. I was quiet, a bookworm, played clarinet, socially awkward, terrible at sport... A real delight!

I loved English. Starting a new book was always really exciting. I loved trying to write my own stories too. Anytime I could escape my reality was a winner!

I did alright in French and German but seem to have forgotten a lot of it so helping my boy with his homework is actually really interesting. History was good but the subject matter was meh. The whole of history and it was either the Wars or the Industrial/Agricultural Revolutions.

PE was not fun. I'm really not coordinated haha. The teachers pissed me off too - no encouragement, just more misery. Sadists!!

My favourite teacher was actually from primary school when I was 10. He just got me. First time anyone who wasn't family ever did.

 

[Mei5ter]

History was good but the subject matter was meh. The whole of history and it was either the Wars or the Industrial/Agricultural Revolutions.

This is one of the few things which raises my blood pressure beyond its normal resting level of "do I still have a pulse?". There are few better ways to kill any enthusiasm for history than to make twelve year olds learn about Jethro Fucking Tull and his horse drawn seed drill.

But they do teach this stuff better now. If you do the Industrial Revolution at secondary school nowadays, you read Blake's poetry (Jerusalem isn't what the EN-GER-LUND lot think it is), and learn about how these changes actually shaped the lives of the entire population. And for all that gammons rant about Health and Safety being the source of all today's evils, its origins actually go back to the Factory Act, and measures taken to stop children dying and being mutilated without anyone giving a fuck. If you teach twelve year olds about the Industrial Revolution from that perspective, guess what - they engage.

You can guess my favourite subject, and yes - those who do not learn the mistakes of history are destined to repeat them.

played clarinet

I have Grade 3 with 114/150

 

[RosewoodTulip]

Jethro Fucking Tull and his horse drawn seed drill.

How dare you trigger me like this on a sunny Tuesday morning!

those who do not learn the mistakes of history are destined to repeat them.

As evidenced by *gestures* everything

I have Grade 3 with 114/150

Swoon!!!

My teacher - for reasons known only to him - never put me up for my grades. I wasn't amazing or anything but I could play well enough. There was a local youth wind band from all the nearby schools and I eventually made 1st but by the time my GCSE's came and I was drowning in revision I made the choice to let it go because I just assumed I wasn't good enough to progress any further.

 

[birdy]

what was your favorite class in school?
Are we talking before university? If so... I'd have to say Chemistry, French, and World Cultures.
What was your least favorite? Why?
Anything math. I suck at math.

Did you have something that came naturally to you?
Writing, and art.

Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous?
My 11th year world cultures teacher stands out. He had many unique lessons and ways of teaching to make class fun. One project we did was an archiological dig, where he buried objects in an area behind the school grounds, and with a partner we had to excavate it, research the item, and present it to the class.

This was back before internet searches were a thing... My partner and I found a ceramic pot, that had a stamp.on the bottom that it was made in England. What came next would never fly in present day because he invited my partner and I to his house one morning to make the long distance call the the company in England to research the history of the pot. We went to his house before school one day to make the call and he answered the door in his underwear. His entire family was home at the time and he warned us that his daughter walks around the house naked so be aware. We were like... .

Parents didn't seem.to have an issue with that when I told them... Lol. Nothing happened, it was essentially, innocent as far as I am aware, but weird. We had fun doing the project, aside from the home visit.

 

[hotwords229_A]

I did not have a good experience in school. My school was second to none in terrible.
Although there were a few good teachers here and there, most of them were checked out, including during lunch when many fist fights broke out with no adult intervention. What I learned in school was more survival than anything else. It was kind of like prison.

I did have a great Spanish teacher in 10th-12th grade, though. She was really nice, sweet and in control of her class. I am the guy who got 80s and 90s in Spanish and 60s in English!

One teacher I admire (possibly more now than then), was my History (Social Studies) teacher. He would talk through the entire class and write “notes” on a classic chalkboard about WWII. We had to write down the same notes that he did and it really worked. I learned more in his class than most. Something about writing what you’re hearing makes it stick in your brain a little longer.

I can’t imagine how he was able to do that class after class, but he did. Sometimes he had a transparency for the overhead projector, I guess when his hand hurt, but mostly he wrote.

He was also one of the few teachers who still had a chalkboard in his class. He must have insisted on that.

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

Well @AmberLGreen was not messing around with being .. oh what was her title? Some sort of disciplinarian. She was getting fairly creative.

she’s been looking for an excuse to spank this monkey!

 

[Mei5ter]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school?

Free periods. Sorry. I worked hard at school and did well enough, but forty minutes of unexpected bliss in the middle of a school day? Yes please.

What was your least favorite? Why?

It won't come as a shock to anyone that I don't get on with everyone, and I don't suffer fools gladly. I wasn't particularly great at maths compared with some, but I was better than the man who taught me between the ages of 12 and 13. We both knew it. We neither of us liked it.

But my worst subject? Biology. I took no science subjects at school after the age of 15, but xylem? Phloem? Who fucking cares?

Did you have something that came naturally to you?

I did quite well at most things, modesty aside. Trying hard did not come naturally to me, but I learned that the hard way.

One of the best things I learned at school was that you don't have to be good at things in order to enjoy them. I was never much of a footballer, but I formed an adequate midfield partnership with one of my best friends, and I spent two happy years from 17-18 playing bad football in a bad league and having a brilliant time. We played a highly progressive 4-1-3-2, and kept winning against far better teams by enjoying ourselves, not taking it too seriously, and seeing the funny side when our centre back insisted on playing in hot pink Converses. There's a lesson there if anyone cares.

Teachers that stood out?

Yeah. One in particular. A complex, damaged, over-educated man who hated the establishment he was part of. He'd been a professional sportsman too. He's why I studied what I did, and why I still can't deal with bullshit well. It's not being sanctimonious or high-minded. I just...can't? And nor could he.

Lessons that were particularly meaningful

Music. Long story.

or especially ridiculous?

Yes. But it's a bit of a give-away to say what.

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"So how did you find the revision?"

"I just looked on the desk and there it was."

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school?

Not surprising, math and science. I usually enjoyed history.

What was your least favorite? Why?

Bit dismissive of English, I read plenty on my own. Didn’t like reading what they told me. Usually didn’t and just wrote essays based on class discussions.

Did you have something that came naturally to you?

Math. Science.

Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous

I have been incredibly fortunate in my life to have had a number of standout educators on my life. Either teacher I had or club sponsors. Next to my mom and siblings, teachers occupy most of the most influential positions in young monkey’s brain. The stand out was certainly my HS physics teacher. I had largely wanted to be a zoologist most of my life until he came to my Jr. High and gave a presentation on physics that changed the course of my life in an hour. An incredible human being.

 

[StacyLeigh]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school? What was your least favorite? Why? Did you have something that came naturally to you? Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous?

​

I took all AP classes in high school so the fun was zapped a bit. By far, my favorite class was Band. Percussionist tracks for you @jason28053 I think instrument selection might be an even better personality test than Zodiacs. Band also had the teachers that stood out the most - likely do to how much time I spent with them. That is where I picked up "5 mins early is on time; on time is late" which my family now hears constant reminders of.

A close second would be Math. There’s something incredibly satisfying about the predictability of numbers and the way everything fits together when you solve a problem. I was also the President of our Math Club - so my nerd flag flew high.

My least favorite subject was History. I've likely seen every Ken Burns documentary created - so it's definitely not due to lack of interest - but if you ask me to remember a list of names and dates I will fail every time.

 

[Mei5ter]

I was also the President of our Math Club - so my nerd flag flew high.

The word "Club" generally implies fun (unless you're a seal, I guess). For those of us who didn't aspire to such heights, what did you do in Math Club? And was it fun? Or does what happens in Math Club stay in Math Club?

You came to Lit to discuss this, didn't you?

 

[SalaciousMonkey22]

The word "Club" generally implies fun (unless you're a seal, I guess). For those of us who didn't aspire to such heights, what did you do in Math Club? And was it fun? Or does what happens in Math Club stay in Math Club?

You came to Lit to discuss this, didn't you?

I don’t know bout her math club but my math club discussed how good this club was gonna look on our college apps and what other clubs we might consider joining for the same reasons. Once in a while we talked about cool proofs. Which do exist, but YMMV

 

[SimonSex]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school? What was your least favorite? Why? Did you have something that came naturally to you? Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous?

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Love, love the questions. Teachers can and often do make the difference in a young person’s life. I wish they were more valued in our current American society in terms of worth, recognition and salary. It’s a high calling and they deserve far more praise than they receive.

My best teachers were all deeply invested and committed in the experience, They were consistent, fair and encouraging. I will not single any out, because there were a lot of good ones. While I graduated near the top of my high school class academically, my path took me into the arts and not into a scholarly realm.

Ironically, I went on to teach for several decades in higher ed at the university level. It was then that I learned to tap into my past great teachers for guidance.

The quote from The Talmud, “When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.” reaches much further than blood relatives or gender specifics!

 

[AngelicaS1780]

I’m curious.​

what was your favorite class in school? What was your least favorite? Why? Did you have something that came naturally to you? Teachers that stood out? Lessons that were particularly meaningful or especially ridiculous?

My favorite class in school was English/Literature because I loved to read. My least favorite was PE because I don't have great depth perception/hand eye coordination due to not having true binocular vision. And I don't like sweating and then having to go right back to classes. Most subjects came pretty naturally to me, until high school math and physics. I had straight A's until those classes. One of the teachers who stood out to me in a good way was our school's speech teacher. She also was the faculty advisor for the drama club. Our school didn't put on a big play and musical every year like a lot of high schools, so she worked to find us opportunities like an annual one-act play festival.

I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to high school graduation. In my senior year of high school, we had a semester course called "Sex and Spirituality". Among other topics, we learned all about the rhythm method. That's probably one of the most ridiculous lessons I've experienced.

 

[LadyLascivious1]

I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to high school graduation. In my senior year of high school, we had a semester course called "Sex and Spirituality". Among other topics, we learned all about the rhythm method. That's probably one of the most ridiculous lessons I've experienced.

One of the most memorable moments in my 12 years of Catholic school was in Moral Theology in high school. After climbing multiple flights of stairs up to the bell tower classroom, we could immediately see the teacher (a priest in his full robes) had written one word on each of the three chalkboards circling the room.

SEX. IS. GOOD.

He then proceeded to go into more detail than I expected about how you could tell from the consistency of vaginal mucus if a woman was fertile and ovulating

 

[Lord Pmann]

He then proceeded to go into more detail than I expected about how you could tell from the consistency of vaginal mucus if a woman was fertile and ovulating

That’s the worst dirty talk ever.

 

[QuietCanadian]

By far, my favorite class was Band.

I was also the President of our Math Club - so my nerd flag flew high.

Oh, hi there.