It's back to school tomorrow for 2 of our 3, and they enter 6th and 9th grades respectively. It's hard to believe that our kids are entering Middle and High School! I though I would reminisce a bit about 6th grade in this post, and perhaps a 9th grade piece soon.
I attended 6th grade in the fall of 1984.
We still lived out in "nowhere, Indiana" at that time--I use that phrase a lot because even people who lived near the same area do not know that "township" that I lived within. The only buildings in this township, a part from homes, were a grain elevator and my elementary school -- we went back there with my kids a few years ago and only the playground had changed.
We were so far out in the country that I was among the first to be picked up on the bus--at 6:00 am. I rode the bus every morning through its winding country route until it was full (2 or 3 per seat) of MS and HS students; we would let the HS students off at Hamilton Southeastern High School, other Middle School students would join us in the quick quick trip over to Hamilton Southeastern Middle School where we arrive at 7:45 am. I would return home a little more quickly, only taking 45 minutes so that I was home by 3:45 pm, before chores on the farm and homework (I'm not making this up!).
There were no lockers, only cubicles, in those days. And the cubicles, along with cabinets, black boards, and bulletin boards often formed the dividers between some of the "class rooms". The arts, science, choir/band, and of course gym all had their own rooms; but the rest were in these larger spaces with the dividers. This made for confusing and unique teaching environments--you could hear everything the other teachers were saying and so it was easy to get distracted. You could hear when another student in another class was in trouble, and even your teacher may pause to listen in as they got chewed out. And if someone did something embarrassing or funny, all the classes would get to hear.
On one occasion, during a health class lecture, we were talking about drugs, and I had gotten distracted by another class when my teacher had apparently asked me a question. By the time that I heard, "Mr. Oldham", everyone in the neighboring classes had gotten quiet as my teacher raised his voice. He asked again, "what are barbiturates?"
"I don't know," I started, "sounds Jewish."
As the other teachers in the area laughed, my teacher laughed, and my ignorance or lack of paying attention didn't lead to trouble--on that day. :)
We had 7 classes per day; this was true for me 6-12th grades--the building was small enough that you had 5 minutes to transfer from class to class. Foreign language was not even an elective.
We didn't have computers--I'm not sure if there was a single computer in the whole building. The teachers had calculators, but students were prohibited from using the devices, which were relatively new. Though the Casio calculator watch was being introduced during that time and a few of the kids may have had one. I had a computer at home, a novelty at that time as having a video game system (Atari or Commodore) seemed to be the more universal choice--we had a Radio Shack TRS-80 (or "trash-80" as they would be called years later). I couldn't do anything on that machine, but we had one.
The "arts program" consisted of choir or band, and art--but you had to choose. I chose choir because after years of inconsistent practice on the piano, I was ready to give up instruments for a time. We had outfits for the different grades--everyone bought their own white pants (it was the 80's), and each grade level had a bright colored, long-sleeve tee shirt with the white pin stripes down the arms: 8th was purple, 7th was teal, and 6th (my grade) was hot pink. Choir was cool though--for a project, each grade made music videos--we did "I wear my sunglasses at night" and "somebody's watching me".
Oh how things have changed and how different things will be for Titus when he starts the 6th grade tomorrow, 28 years later.
He won't be riding the bus; we'll make the drive to drop them off and pick them up.
He will start in a brand new, 4-story, 21st Century learning center, complete with huge rooms for the arts (visual, computer design, performing, etc.). His first locker will be bigger than any locker I ever had.
There will be Macs in each of the classroom, dozens in the computer lab and library, and he will participate in a 1-to-1 program that will allow him to use a MacBook in each of his classes and eventually be able to take it home to complete assignments.
He will only have 4 classes a day (and a different 4 every other day), that will be divided by either 20 minute breaks or a 40 minute lunch. The longer classes allow for more diverse teaching styles and learning techniques, as well as dedicated time to using the computer in applying learning and 21st Century technology skills. Between classes, they can eat, play, and hang out in a variety of junior-high friendly social centers.
He will be exposed to and have the opportunity to try a variety of arts: sculpture, painting, clay, animation, design technology, drama/musical, band (if wanted), etc. And, he will begin Spanish (German, his first choice, was surprisingly not offered at this school).
As much as there is change, there is still likely to be several things the same--the awkwardness and lack of confidence that so often defines this age. He will have greater opportunities, but similar struggles as any of us at this age. I will be praying hard for both of my kids as they go not only into a new school tomorrow, but into a new phase of life.
I attended 6th grade in the fall of 1984.
We still lived out in "nowhere, Indiana" at that time--I use that phrase a lot because even people who lived near the same area do not know that "township" that I lived within. The only buildings in this township, a part from homes, were a grain elevator and my elementary school -- we went back there with my kids a few years ago and only the playground had changed.
We were so far out in the country that I was among the first to be picked up on the bus--at 6:00 am. I rode the bus every morning through its winding country route until it was full (2 or 3 per seat) of MS and HS students; we would let the HS students off at Hamilton Southeastern High School, other Middle School students would join us in the quick quick trip over to Hamilton Southeastern Middle School where we arrive at 7:45 am. I would return home a little more quickly, only taking 45 minutes so that I was home by 3:45 pm, before chores on the farm and homework (I'm not making this up!).
There were no lockers, only cubicles, in those days. And the cubicles, along with cabinets, black boards, and bulletin boards often formed the dividers between some of the "class rooms". The arts, science, choir/band, and of course gym all had their own rooms; but the rest were in these larger spaces with the dividers. This made for confusing and unique teaching environments--you could hear everything the other teachers were saying and so it was easy to get distracted. You could hear when another student in another class was in trouble, and even your teacher may pause to listen in as they got chewed out. And if someone did something embarrassing or funny, all the classes would get to hear.
On one occasion, during a health class lecture, we were talking about drugs, and I had gotten distracted by another class when my teacher had apparently asked me a question. By the time that I heard, "Mr. Oldham", everyone in the neighboring classes had gotten quiet as my teacher raised his voice. He asked again, "what are barbiturates?"
"I don't know," I started, "sounds Jewish."
As the other teachers in the area laughed, my teacher laughed, and my ignorance or lack of paying attention didn't lead to trouble--on that day. :)
We had 7 classes per day; this was true for me 6-12th grades--the building was small enough that you had 5 minutes to transfer from class to class. Foreign language was not even an elective.
We didn't have computers--I'm not sure if there was a single computer in the whole building. The teachers had calculators, but students were prohibited from using the devices, which were relatively new. Though the Casio calculator watch was being introduced during that time and a few of the kids may have had one. I had a computer at home, a novelty at that time as having a video game system (Atari or Commodore) seemed to be the more universal choice--we had a Radio Shack TRS-80 (or "trash-80" as they would be called years later). I couldn't do anything on that machine, but we had one.
The "arts program" consisted of choir or band, and art--but you had to choose. I chose choir because after years of inconsistent practice on the piano, I was ready to give up instruments for a time. We had outfits for the different grades--everyone bought their own white pants (it was the 80's), and each grade level had a bright colored, long-sleeve tee shirt with the white pin stripes down the arms: 8th was purple, 7th was teal, and 6th (my grade) was hot pink. Choir was cool though--for a project, each grade made music videos--we did "I wear my sunglasses at night" and "somebody's watching me".
Oh how things have changed and how different things will be for Titus when he starts the 6th grade tomorrow, 28 years later.
He won't be riding the bus; we'll make the drive to drop them off and pick them up.
There will be Macs in each of the classroom, dozens in the computer lab and library, and he will participate in a 1-to-1 program that will allow him to use a MacBook in each of his classes and eventually be able to take it home to complete assignments.
He will only have 4 classes a day (and a different 4 every other day), that will be divided by either 20 minute breaks or a 40 minute lunch. The longer classes allow for more diverse teaching styles and learning techniques, as well as dedicated time to using the computer in applying learning and 21st Century technology skills. Between classes, they can eat, play, and hang out in a variety of junior-high friendly social centers.
He will be exposed to and have the opportunity to try a variety of arts: sculpture, painting, clay, animation, design technology, drama/musical, band (if wanted), etc. And, he will begin Spanish (German, his first choice, was surprisingly not offered at this school).
As much as there is change, there is still likely to be several things the same--the awkwardness and lack of confidence that so often defines this age. He will have greater opportunities, but similar struggles as any of us at this age. I will be praying hard for both of my kids as they go not only into a new school tomorrow, but into a new phase of life.
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