This post of Cimorene's has really been amazing for a lot of people, I think. And the comments, too. Cimorene, did you expect this post to become this Big? :-D
I liked reading your story. Now I remember math stuff too, heh. Although for me, the reading was always the focus--whether because it was my first love and my only escape for some time, or because other people focused on it for me (so to speak), I'm not sure. The high school you went to sounds really neat, like they really did want you all to learn and grow and (I think this is important) experience joy doing that. Because all schools, in theory, want us to learn and grow, but we don't get much joy in the process.
Despite some of the uncomplimentary things I've said about my parents, they did, at least when I was young, try to get me interested in things that would challenge me and help me learn. I remember finding a fossil with my dad and asking him how it got that way, and rather than come up with a BS answer he said, "Well, let's find out." That was awesome and brave of him. So we went to read all about fossils and for a while I wanted to be a paleontologist. :-D I was maybe five, six at the time.
Math classes...something really crappy happened in middle to high school, I dunno. It's like I became a little mouse or something. In mid-elementary school I was taking math classes (as were many in my class) at the middle school, but the teacher I had was so spiteful I just hated it. She really resented the younger kids' coming to her class. Not to be a drama queen, but after that I was convinced I was stupid at math and I hated it.
no subject
I liked reading your story. Now I remember math stuff too, heh. Although for me, the reading was always the focus--whether because it was my first love and my only escape for some time, or because other people focused on it for me (so to speak), I'm not sure. The high school you went to sounds really neat, like they really did want you all to learn and grow and (I think this is important) experience joy doing that. Because all schools, in theory, want us to learn and grow, but we don't get much joy in the process.
Despite some of the uncomplimentary things I've said about my parents, they did, at least when I was young, try to get me interested in things that would challenge me and help me learn. I remember finding a fossil with my dad and asking him how it got that way, and rather than come up with a BS answer he said, "Well, let's find out." That was awesome and brave of him. So we went to read all about fossils and for a while I wanted to be a paleontologist. :-D I was maybe five, six at the time.
Math classes...something really crappy happened in middle to high school, I dunno. It's like I became a little mouse or something. In mid-elementary school I was taking math classes (as were many in my class) at the middle school, but the teacher I had was so spiteful I just hated it. She really resented the younger kids' coming to her class. Not to be a drama queen, but after that I was convinced I was stupid at math and I hated it.