Wednesday, April 16, 2008

i wonder why i can't remember?

this may very well be the worst blog entry ever because i really can't remember the 6th grade. thankfully, i never experienced that tween angst. i was part of the 'in-crowd,' but the in-crowd wasn't a group of bullying girls. we were all top students and were honestly and sincerely kind to the others in our class. we did bicker here and there, but nothing has been seared into my memory. my school life was great; my home life was great; things were just fine and dandy in good old santa claus, indiana. my college roommates would joke that i grew up in a 'clever' household....you know, the beave, wally, june, ward & co. i really did have an incredible childhood both in and out of school and for that, i am very thankful.

sixth grade, though, was the year we learned how to divide fractions. mr. roos (pronounced 'rose') was my teacher and i vividly remember him doing this crazy jig on top of his desk chanting, "change the sign, invert the divisor!" this memory served me well during my GMAT exam.

recess during the sixth grade just wasn't cool. we had moved to the older kids playground (kindergarten - third grade was on one playground...fourth grade - sixth on the other), but we were so over recess. we loved it when the weather was bad because that meant we could get board games out to play instead of congregating and talking about whatever was occupying our 12 year old minds in the hot sun or freezing wind.

i sang in a very small girls chorus that year. there were 7 of us who got to meet during the recess after lunch (the longest recess of the day) twice a week. boy, were we hot stuff because we got to miss recess! i can't remember what the group was named, but i remember singing with other girls at some big state event. i have no idea what it was for, but one song we sang was "kookaburra sits in the old gum tree." anyway...

okay, i must end it there. i'm bored just reading through this, so i'm sure you all are sleeping by now. the sixth grade was a good year as was every other year in my school days. i have no complaints and only hope that my girls are able to look back on their school years with as much fondness.

2 comments:

Wicked M said...

How sad am I that you didn't mention what fashions were "in" at your school in the sixth grade! I need to hear about the Aqua Net, the acid wash, the HyperColors!

Glad to hear you did not experience the yuck of junior high like g love and me.

Did you guys get Indianapolis radio stations? Ever listen to the Hot 9 at 9 on ZPL?

We used to jump rope to that Kookaburra tune in elementary school. And? I am BEYOND jealous that you still had recess in sixth grade. By that time, we were in class all day long. UGH.

Anonymous said...

That's so great! I was a pretty insecure kid, as you can tell. I'm hoping I give my kids a little more confidence . . .

So, your teacher got up on the desk, huh?