Monday, May 07, 2007

Education

There's an Education Carnival going on at Blog Village. Kilroy, known for his promot- ional and success- ful abilities in the world of blogging, has started a meme, called, with much creativity, Kilroy's Education Meme.

The questions led me back to my youth...all morning I thought about the most influential teacher I had in Grade School. Each teacher, each year, had something to teach me I remember to this day.

The first question..."What was the name of the teacher that was most influential in your life from Grades K through 6?"....had me naming one teacher after another. Miss Daily, in first grade, taught me independence. Miss Daubney taught me to read, Mrs. Bjune taught me to tell stories...and Mr. Ruttan taught me, finally, in the sixth grade, what arithmetic was all about.

It strikes me we did mostly crafts for Art, in grade school. The art teacher that was to show me my love of drawing and painting would not appear for a couple of years. And there were other teachers, too, during these years...teachers who had never seen the inside of a classroom, some who could barely write their names...who taught me about the natural rhythms of Nature. These teachings formed my path in life.

The next question..."What subject did you favor in high school?"...wasn't difficult. It was always Art, under whatever name the curriculum called it that year. One year it was silk screening, not one of my favourites. Another year, I took pottery, and loved it intensely, looking forward to it as I dressed in the morning. The slippy, slidy feel of the clay was immensely satisfying to me. Mostly, we had to use the wheel. But I loved to sculpt free form figures...beings that were born with the help of my hands.

English formed a close second. These were my favourites, these teachers who taught High School English. I want to tell them, now, that I must have learned, I must have taken in the lessons these so very strong teachers had to give me. It may not have felt or looked like it at the time, but I utilize those tools, those lessons, every day.

It was the sixties. Free-thinking times...times that were not to include any University, but times that threw lessons at me, much the same as a teacher who threw constant quizzes. Unending quizzes, ongoing, one after another. As I look back I see how one decision led to another in my life, how one crises taught me how to deal with the next. It showcases my belief in the Ultimate Plan in my life. Kilroy's question..."Did you attend a university and if so, did you attain a degree?" ...brought me to an accept- ance of not going to uni- versity, finally. The times were what they were, I fell into a few deep holes...and it's okay. I was destined to learn what I could through living...learning acceptance and peace on another path.

Kilroy's next question..."Do you learn best through books, by watching or hands-on?"...again had me pondering. I've come to the conclusion that I learn both by watching and hands-on. I have learned to read beings by watching; I have also learned just by doing a thing...the teaching in the process.

"Has education been an ongoing process for you? How do you feel about that?"...is the next query. And of course, it has. I would not have believed it in my twenties, but I have actually acquired more knowledge than I had back then, in those sure years of youth.

I have taken university courses in both Painting and Creative Writing, and I expect, when life settles down, I will continue doing so. Both these subjects have a lilt and a song to them that I love.

And Mother Earth and her beings, of all natures, combine to create the biggest teacher of them all, for me.

Kilroy asks for seven people to continue this meme. I have named just three...Jackie from The Vegan Diet and Herbs and Oils; Goatman from pretty moonbeams, and The Artist from Winsome Gunning Art Walk and A Green Earth.

This was a great trip into the past... these questions bring up all sorts of memories, both good and bad. Who would have thought an Education meme could produce so much inner searching?

15 comments:

  1. I remember in 6th grade that our school was to participate in a "event day" over at Parker Road School and as such we were to compete in various activities such as running, rope climbing,throwing athletics, etc. Well, even at that age I hated both competition and sports so my day was ruined. I was to compete in the rope climb (without knots) at which I was quite good and could outclimb anyone.
    Anyways, after the first arrival and checkin of everyone, I snuck away for a day of walking around to kill time. Remembering that I had forgotten my shoes at our classroom (we wore sneakers to the event) I waited in a tree across the road for the class to return so that I could rejoin the group and get my shoes; without which I would surely be discovered as missing.
    Somehow I was found out. The gym teacher never did approach me or say anything, just gave me an F in gym for that year. I still donot like sports or competing; should I get and F in life? He asked notcaringly!
    Gotta go out and till the garden for tomatoes.
    PS now they use knots on the rope, climbing . . . wimpy, wimpy, wimpy.

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  2. The best thing about education is it teaches you to value education...and to question the questioners. Eh? This was great, thanks for playing. 8-)

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  3. I'm with you, Goatman. I was not good at sports either other than the 60 and 100 yard dash, at which I excelled, until puberty hit, lol!

    In high school, I skipped PE mostly. I used to feed so badly when I had to play team sports, because I always felt a loss or a bad play was directly attributed to me and my lack of skill. It wasn't, of course, just circumstances, but I blamed myself, and stayed away.

    I know people who went back to their school to climb the ropes after a few years had passed. It seemed to settle something inside them when they succeeded at something that was so difficult for them when they were young.

    Sports and competing are only a small part of the human endeavor; it certainly doesn't warrant an F in life. and again, I'm with you on that...if it did, I'm not sure I would care a whole lot, either.

    Seems to me that planting tomatoes and nurturing those beautiful red globes to beautiful ripeness is a much more enjoyable thing to do. I have my tomatoes in; what kind did you decide to grow this year?

    Perhaps we can compete for the biggest tomato, lol!!!!

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  4. Kilroy, I like that...to question the questioners. Very well put, and indeed you are right.

    I had some teachers nobody ever questioned; if you did, you were impertinent. I suppose these teachers were too frightened of the bright young minds they were helping to form, to really listen.

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  5. Thanks for that.
    Hey . .. arent you canadians supposed to spell endeavor
    as "endeavour"? Just asking?
    And I would never accept an F in life, I know bs when I see it!

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  6. Just got back to catching up with all the posts I have missed while doing my uni paper. Loved all your photo's again, are they from your summer garden? They are lovely and green!
    Oh noise, noise, noise, same here we had neighbours dioganally opposite us renovating for 8 months! Luckily it's all finished now, a painter or electrician shows up every now and then still but it was pure agony to put up with the noise and dust!
    Good luck to you, hope it's all over very soon.

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  7. Yes, Goatman, I was taught to use 'our' as in favour, favourite, etc. but spell check keeps rearing its ugly head when I do. It depends on how lazy I am, lol, as to what I use...both are considered ok.

    For the last couple of days, Hann, it's been quiet. Our roof is complete, and work is stalled on the home next door. It's been so much appreciated, made me realize how very quiet it usually is, here in this neighbourhood.

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  8. Hi Marion,
    I agree with you that learning is a life long process and enjoyed reading about your educational memories. Will check out the people you tagged.

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  9. Marion,
    For some reasons your links didn't work. Don't know if it's just blogger updating or something. Will come back tomorrow and try again.

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  10. hi, clicking in from zingela.
    i loved my schooling years, but i guess i was just the average girl. :P

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  11. I too enjoyed my school years, and the things that I learned then still stand me in good staid today. I can honestly say I enjoyed the whole thing of school..sports and all...even the school dinners.

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  12. Thank you, Princess, I fixed the links. Somehow those got broken, but blogger has been acting up recently.

    Alison, I loved most of mine, too. Some years were more difficult than others, some years I learned more than others, but on the whole...it was a good experience and it was great to revisit it.

    I should have tagged you, Davem, I would love to hear about schooling in Wales. We didn't have school dinners in the tiny little school that was my elementary school. When I think back, the old army barracks that became a school would not have been allowed today...I'm sure much of it was a hazard!

    Not long after I left it for high school, a new school was built.

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  13. Your post has me thinking about my teachers, too, Marion. I had Catholic nuns for my entire 12 years in school. My education was Grade A and I grew up with a respect for education and the value it brings to life. Happy Mother's Day, Marion! hugssssssssssss

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  14. Marion,

    Well, my brain just imploded upon itself after readin' that intense post of yours. I jus' may be unable to recover from this one. But don't worry none 'cause nobody can never tell when my head done been 'ploded or not noways.

    You sure did send me back to thinkin' about past teachers, education and youth. I'd love to list 'em all, but I can't rightly do that 'cause I always skipped class. Jus' kiddin'. Hee hee.

    As always, I enjoyed your post.

    BFF,
    Miss T

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  15. I enjoyed reading about your schooldays Marion. I got tagged by Kilroy too. I agree that the best education you can get is by living your life. Life is a constant learning process.

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