QUESTION 21

Personal History Question 21 is, “Write about your early school memories.”

I had a love/hate relationship with school. First off, looking back, I now know that what plagued me, was anxiety. It all started in 1st grade math class with Mrs. Bianchi. She was about 100 years old (I am so not kidding…) and she called me out in front of the whole class because I used my fingers to count. And when I say called me out, I mean ridiculed… I have thought about this a lot over the years. She simply could have asked me to attempt what I was doing without using my fingers. Instead, she made a spectacle of me. And when she saw that she had rattled my cage, it got worse.

I have hated math ever since. I have to mention 2nd grade. I do not remember much, except for traumatic moments like the time I puked up orange juice and oatmeal on the bus, and my teacher, Ms. V, because she was just awesome.

Going further back, I remember being out on the bus loop, lined up with all the other kids who were on my bus. I was up front because I was in kindergarten. Next thing I know, my poor teacher is in my face, yelling at me frantically. I was very confused. I could see my bus driving off.. she was in my face asking me where I had gone off to, and all I knew was that I had not moved. She went running after the bus just a hootin’ and hollerin’. The bus stopped, and she motioned for me to hurry. I ran to her, and as she loaded me on the bus, she said to the driver, “I don’t know where she got off to, but here she is!”

I have no recollection of what the Hell happened. It bothers me to this day.

Another 2nd grade memory.. I stood up to a bully on the playground, and ended up with a broken finger as a result.

When we moved to WV, and I started school there… that is when I began to love school. It all had to do with my teachers. I loved my teachers. I loved my little school. I loved my friends. I can remember sitting in class during a thunderstorm and lightning struck Cannon Hill twice. It lit up the whole room and the thunder was deafening! I still hated math.

We moved to PA, and my anxiety was real bad. I had a 5th grade teacher named Ms. Welch (Welsh?).. it has been awhile. Anyway, this woman was dreadful. And she made my life Hell. I would give a lot to sit and chat with her these days.

Anything beyond this, is not ‘early school’, so I will end it here.