School days can provide so much material for memoir. Most of us spend 12 to 16 years or more in school. Those who become teachers or work in school-related occupations might even spend their entire careers in schools. The educational years involving college life, high school days, and earlier times in the system can provide volumes of material for fun and interesting stories.
These stories can involve victories as well as defeats. Stories of being bullied as well as being the bully. There are stories about inspiring teachers or the fellow students who where our friends. The cast of characters in our educational life is huge and the stories are varied.
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| Battle Hills One Room School House at Barr Colony Heritage Cultural Centre , Lloydminster (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Some of you may have attended a small school or even a one room school house. This can be a unique experience to relate to those of us who went to larger schools. Those of you who attended larger schools might have a grander story to tell. School stories like any life stories can be highly focused or might provide a bigger picture in which you were a small player.
The stories that involve our education can be dramatic, tragic, funny, or motivating. We can entertain with these stories or we can provide an education about education. The years that we attend school can be amazing years or they can be bittersweet years tinged with regrets. Take advantage of revisiting your school days to remember the stories you have within you.
Were your school days difficult? Do you have pleasant memories of school? If you could go back to any of your years in school which would you most want to relive?
Mostly hated my school :) But then again, I spent a huge part of my school years during wars, bombings etc.... While I worked as a teacher later on myself, I tried to give my students memorable lessons, and most of them still do remember professor Dezzy :)
ReplyDeleteDezzy, I think you'd be a cool teacher to have. Wars and bombings would undoubtedly be a big distraction from school, but I think you could have a wonderful memoir stem from that.
DeleteLee
I moved a lot as a child and went to MANY different schools. But overall, I enjoyed school and the various people I met. As to where I'd go back? Hmm. . . don't know.
ReplyDeleteI went to a few different schools as well. Seems like I adapted well, but remained kind of aloof at the same time. I'd go back gladly to visit any of those times, but not sure I'd want to stay too long unless it was one of those "If I knew then what I know now" sorts of situations.
DeleteLee
I think my sophomore year was the best of all. I was telling my stepdaughter that. It's the year before everyone starts working and driving and, yes, you have to be shuttled around a lot, but all you do is hang out with friends. Once you start working and driving, that's when the responsibilities start. But you don't yet have the full freedom of an adult.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I wouldn't want to relive any of it. Yuck! Life is much better as an adult (for me, anyway)!
I didn't really work for very long or too much during my school years, but started into working the year after HS graduation.
DeleteLee
Schools are sooo different than when I was in school. Although I didn't go to a one room schoolhouse, I did attend a school where there were more than one grade in my classroom with one teacher.
ReplyDeleteThat seems like an interesting experience to share. The grades were always separated in the schools I attended which were all relatively large.
DeleteLee
My school days could definitely be difficult....elementary school especially. Things picked up once I got to Jr High and High School when I made more friends and had a better social life. There was a time when my town was so small that everyone K-12 was in the same building, then a Jr/Sr high school was built for 7-12. Now there are 3 elementary/middle schools and the main high school that's now 9-12.
ReplyDeleteMy HS and junior high years were duds are far as social life. It seemed like I was pretty active in elementary school, but then again I was a kid and always on the run so maybe things just seemed active.
DeleteLee
I hated school and somehow managed to duck before I reached leaving age. But a lack of education did me no harm.
ReplyDeleteInstitutional education isn't a necessity as far as I can see as long as a person reads, explores, studies, and learns on their own agenda. Sometimes school can do more harm than good I think.
DeleteLee
My elementary was torn down, but down the road from me is a very old schoolhouse that has been converted to a restaurant. It's small and cozy.
ReplyDeleteI've been hunting through the long —very long—list of blogs on the A to Z Challenge searching for fellow memoirists; although that sounds like too fancy-schmancy of a word for what I do. Happy to meet you!
ReplyDeleteSchool days. Ups and downs. Important times I think. Mostly, I look back with fondness, although I think that I was a massive pain in the neck for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteOur educational experiences can definitely shape us, hopefully for the better.
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoyed school, up until high school. Then again, pretty much everyone hates high school, right?
ReplyDeleteAs a university student, I much preferred learning on my own to attending classes, though I've still managed to get away with 2 Bachelor of Arts degrees, one With Honors, so I guess I wasn't too bad at BSing my way through. ;D
The first school I attended had 5 class rooms, each with two grades. I have some fond memories going to that little school playing in the school yard ~ hop scotch, double dutch, playing tag, swinging, climbing monkey bars, seesawing, ...The only horrible memory I have was of my first grade sub ~ the wicked witch of the east who took over while Mrs. H had her baby. I loved Mrs. H!! The stark contrast between these two woman was amazing. To this day, I wonder why on earth did Mrs. C become a teacher because intolerance in the classroom toward her students were border line cruel and I'm sure she actually stepped over that line on a few occasions. If I could go back through time to do a year over it might be my 7th grade or maybe my senior year in high school. I'm not sure which I'd rather relive now, but there are several things I would like to change, if I knew it wouldn't screw up the outcome of where I am today. I'd like to set something right, you know? It's funny sometimes these things fill my dreams where I get it right. lol
ReplyDeleteI wrote a memoir of the year I spent at a Swiss boarding school and am hoping to publish it, once I get out of re-write hell. LOL It was like a fancy prison, right down to the bars on the windows of our residence. Hated high school - I was the outsider/loner - and wouldn't want to relive any of it. :P School was way too structured to suit me.
ReplyDelete