My Elementary Memories

My primary years of school began in the fall of 1969. As I started thinking back on those years, so many memories came flooding through my mind that I just had to get them written down.

So, do you remember school without computers? Kindergarten? Naps? See Spot Run?

I don't know what year those things began to change, but I'm glad the memories are still so strong in my mind.

When I came across the above picture by Flickr user dhillan aka "Black Vanilla" (Creative Commons license of attribution and share-alike), it reminded me of the school days when we had to use the bungalow school rooms. They were so much louder (from having wooden floors and being raised up higher since they were movable buildings) and hotter than the regular rooms across campus. I think we had to use those as overflow, or maybe they were used while permanent rooms were getting repairs done or something. I don't remember liking them much accept that they were near the handball courts, so that was good for recess. Oh, yes, and ours were not only for boys nor were they in black and white. :-)

And we didn't just sing the songs, we learned about them.

I loved music circle. This was in the days where we didn't have class periods, and we didn't go to different classes throughout the day, and we didn't have art labs, computer labs, etc. Well, maybe we had reading lab at some point 'cause I remember those giant blue headphones where everyone was listening for the ding that told us we could turn the page. Hmm, I wonder if I liked that one or not.

Anyway, the first song that comes to my mind when I think about music circle is "Waltzing Matilda." Why that one sticks out, I'm not certain, but it does. Of course, it helps that our local ice cream truck plays that one at least once a day during the summer. :-) So, as we learned the lyrics and tune for this song, and so many others, we also learned what many of the images in the song meant as well. We learned what a "billy" meant and why they were waiting for it to boil. We learned a bit about Australia. And we got grades for something that seemed so fun to me then and brings back great memories now.

You can click on the picture to go to the page at http://www.family-getaways-melbourne.com/waltzing-matilda-song.html for a great article that includes the lyrics and some of the other neat information I can remember learning from those days.

I love games that allow you to walk away with some new knowledge. Of course, I also like the stuff where I can show off what I know and win the game too.

And I was almost always a team captain with a winning team.

I may have been ball shy and the short girl that no one wanted on their softball or kickball team, but everyone wanted to be on my team for "spelling baseball." Spelling has always been one of my strong suits, and I wonder what came first; the love of words or this game where we got to play with words. I was one of those few students who probably spent the whole week studying my list of twenty new words and testing myself over and over until I got it 100 percent correct.

Remind me to tell you the story of my first (and only) attempt at a spelling bee when I have a bit more time to work.

Baseball diamond picture licensed Creative Commons attribution by JSCATTY at Flickr.

Tell me what you remember about book reports and if you think they helped you love reading more and made you never want to read again.

How do you remember book reports?

Really, I have so many more fun things to add when I have time. But, in the meantime, I'd love to hear what memories this lens has stirred up for you and what else you'd like to see me add to the lens.