Who’s ready for another school day memory? I am! This week I’m going back to 3rd grade. That year’s teacher was one of the best for me. She was non-traditional and we didn’t use our textbooks too much, which was great. We were taught to estimate weights and distances using things we knew. One M&M is about one gram. One inch is about the length of the last segment of your pinky finger. There was something also about a paperclip too, but I don’t remember that.
I don’t specifically remember doing grammar, but we did have journals that we had to write in each day. Then a couple students would be called on to read the story they wrote to the class. I remember writing a story about a laundry chute, and that very same day another one of the kids had written a story about a laundry chute. I think I always wanted one (these days I’d prefer a maid).
Another non-traditional thing she did was handle conflict in an unusual way. If you want a glimpse of when I became a chief witness to a jury of classmates, click the “childhood games and railroad ties don’t mix” link below.
Another time a valuable floppy disk (you know, the ones that were actually floppy) went missing when our class was in the computer lab (where we would go and play Oregon Trail…I loved that game!). They really wanted it back so they were willing to offer not to punish the person as long as they brought it back. So we had to sit in our classroom with our eyes closed while one student at a time had to go over to the cubbies and put the missing disk in an envelope if they had it. At some point in the middle of this proceeding (and before it was my turn), a student in another class had admitted to taking the disk, and we were cleared.
The last thing I remember about that class was playing with a dreidel, as my teacher was Jewish. We still did the traditional Christmas things, but she taught us about Hanukkah as well.
Well, it’s time to go watch some football. Enjoy, and may the Sooners win!
Other School Day Memories:
Kindergarten and First Grade: Kisses and Skunks
3rd grade: Childhood Games and Railroad Ties Don’t Mix
4th grade: Watching Whales
7th Grade: Teacher Review
8th Grade: 100 Marble Pick Up
9th Grade: Science Nerd
College Senior Year: Why Procrastination Might Not Be My Thing
Great childhood memories!! And go Sooners!! I hope they do great today!
It’s only because I don’t really care that much about sports, so as long as your Sooners aren’t playing my Tigers, I’m fine with them winning!!!
My third grade teacher was one of my favorites. She was voted Kansas teacher of the year the year after I had her(1983), so she was definitely doing something right.
Hi Ronicca- My boys have picked you to tag for this tag thingie…since you were nice enough to vote on their little presidential election thing! So check it out – I want to hear some weird things about you. And I am sorry if you have been tagged before – I looked in your archives… but not too far back… so I hope this is not a burden for you!
I loved Oregon Trail too! And I loved my third grade teacher. Your comment about celebrating Christmas in schools made me a bit sad as now the system is very strict about what a teacher can and can’t discuss with regards to Christmas and Easter. It’s sad to know that so many American children don’t know what Christmas really is.
I remember floppy disks!
This post made me smile. I remember floppy disks, as well as playing Oregon trail after I finished doing my learn to type program as well as playing logo with the turtle icon.
And doing Holiday stuff was the best as a kid.
Awww the days when you could celebrate Christmas in class, man those days are long gone:(