Caspad

May 8, 2005

Give a Cheer

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I turned the photo blue with a photocopier. I was inspired when my cousin saw the picture and said “that doesn't look like a very happy kindegartener.” The journaling is handwritten inside the file folder: <br> <br>What do I remember about kindergarten? Being segregated from the class for most of each day. Why? Because I could read at 4th grade level. Because all the other kids were still learning ABCs and how to write their names. Because my teacher just couldn't handle a gifted student. <br> <br>She stuck me in a corner to do SRA (silent reading) reading short stories and answering comprehension questions. My only motivation was getting to the purple books (my favorite color) that was level 5 or 6. <br> <br>Meanwhile the rest of the class played with inflatable Mr. M and Miss E, sang songs, colored and did fun things. <br> <br>When I finished my work and turned in my desk to watch the other kids, I was rewarded with having my desk turned toward the wall. Then blinders were put around my desk. I guess Miss Moore thought I was being distracted by the other kids.<br> <br>At one point I remember observing that some kids wrote their letters backwards or misspelled words. So I started doing that in my essays. I also pretended that I couldn't do any of the physical activities we were tested on at mid-year like bounce a ball and hop on one foot. Did my teacher recognize this as an attempt to fit in “downgrade” my abilities? Nope. She didn't notice that I could dribble like a Globetrotter in September and in November was bouncing the ball off my foot. No she didn't. She thought I just couldn't bounce a ball.<br> <br> What do I remember about Miss Moore? In my memory she looked like a cross between Richard Nixon and Lady Elaine on Mr. Rogers. Not a flattering picture but there really wasn't anything warm and endearing about this woman. I might have had more to fun talking with Richard Nixon. After all his Watergate hearing interupted my PBS viewing and that irrated me. I had a definite opinion about Watergate!<br> <br>The one memorable event of kindergarten was being out of school for 6 weeks (ear infections, bronchitis) and getting a package of get-well cards drawn by my classmates. That was fun!<br> <br>When I tell this story people think I must have been devastated and scarred by the experience. I was a -and still am- a person with an extremely strong sense of self. I like being me. It didn't bother me to be brighter than the other kids. It only bothered me that being smart was a bad thing to this teacher. She didn't dampen my spirit or my zest for learning. Or inhibit my social skills. Some friends I made in kindergarten I had all through high school. <br> <br>And to think Miss Moore's final evaluation was I wouldn't get into college because I didn't color inside the lines!

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