Enjoyed Seeing Ender's Game

Yesterday we went to see "Ender's Game" and loved it!  We both had already read the book, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and were thrilled that the movie followed it very closely.  As far as we could tell, it just cut out some of the video game stuff and some of the battles at battle school.  We thought it was well cast and liked the same characters in the movie as were in the book.  For the most part, the actors were cast like I had pictured them from the book except for Ender.  I had pictured him as being younger, but we both enjoyed it very much.  It's science fiction and futuristic. 

Here's the trailer:

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A Page From My Diary From 1967

This post is in response to Mama Kat's Vlogging Workshop prompt: Read an entry from an old diary. I can't believe I spent the whole night on this! It took me a long time to choose which one to use and seriously doubt if this was really the best choice! Oh well, I have to go to bed, it's 11:05!

Other Diary Entries that were in the running:
1966 7th gr. Softball
1967 My First Indians Night Game
1970 Dress Fiasco


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Tutoring a Fourth Grader

I volunteered to tutor this year through a partnership with a school at work. I take turns with another co-worker going every other week. I tutor a 4th grade girl named Sashay. It’s a small school and when we got there, there was some confusion as to who should go where. In the hallway right outside the office was a fish tank and some turtles!  I thought that was pretty neat. 

The fourth grade class is in the basement and the class was all at lunch with only the three students who were being tutored in the room with the teacher. I was relieved to see the room was fixed up nicely with bright lighting. It being in the basement, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

the basement

Sashay was having a hot dog, a few fat French fries, and a strawberry fruit cup for lunch. It didn’t look very good to me, except for the fruit cup which she didn’t even finish. We read a short essay about bats, did a vocabulary worksheet with prefixes, and some phonics papers. I was glad to see they are still teaching phonics in schools. This particular school I noticed also teaches cursive handwriting. I know some don’t. Sashay was a delight! She was friendly, cooperative, and seemed interested in her work. I look forward to going back again!

This reminded me of my old elementary school but at least I didn't have my class in the basement!   What a different atmosphere though from Parma Heights Christian Academy, although inside the classroom itself the desks were up-to-date, it was cheerful and a very nice room with computers.  Did you ever tutor?  What was your school like?

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An Interesting Classmate (Writer’s Workshop)

Why was Tarin K., My Kindergarten Friend, So Special? First off, he was nice to me and helped me with a worksheet. I don’t remember too many classmates, but I remember Tarin because I really liked him. (I thought Tarin & Karen had a pretty nice ring to it.) He lived down the street from me on the other side and we used to play with trains and army men together. (Yes, I was a tomboy.)

Second, I remember one day he sang “The Battle Hymn Of The Republic” in school as a solo one day. I was so impressed and never forgot it. Every time I hear that song, I think of Tarin and wonder if he remembers me. I even remember his LAST name! If you happen to read this, Tarin, I’d love to hear what you are doing now.

Do you remember a unique classmate?  What was so unique about them?

This is part of Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop in response to the prompt: “What made them so interesting? Remember a unique classmate from your past? Write about him/her” which was inspired by writingfix.com.

The Fat Stutterer (Writer's Workshop)

I was labeled fat and I also was a stutterer.  It made me feel sad and mad!  It should come as no surprise that I was the most picked on and bullied kid in my class all through grade school and high school.  Even the teachers were cruel to me.

For example, when I was in third grade and had to read, every time I read and stuttered. The kid next to me kicked me--teacher's order and that teacher was a Nun! When I was a freshman in high school, the day we took homeroom pictures for the yearbook, the teacher made sure that he did not stand by me. Not surprisingly, I had few friends.

When I finally graduated high school, that night when my name was called, I got a huge standing ovation from my so-called classmates. i guess after years of humiliation, this was their way of making up. What I thought was "forget it."

Today I like being the "lone wolf." I worked at the same job for 39 plus years and my first task every day is dumping the garbage. Some things never change!

The "Lone wolf" and loving it!

I have lost the weight, still stutter sometimes, and can empathize with kids who are bullied.  Today, I am still super sensitive so please, don't pick on me.  

A book I could really relate to that talks about some of the same type of things that I went through is Please Stop Laughing At Me by Jodee Blanco.  I highly recommend it to get a real look at what bullying is all about.  

Related Post:  Memoirs Of A Bullied Kid over at Single Dad laughing.

What were you labeled as a child?  Were you ever bullied or were you a bully?

This post was written in response to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt:  In what way were you labeled as a child and how did it affect you?

This is a picture of me now.

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Sewing Was My Worst Class

Because my mom was overweight, she sewed a lot of her own clothes and was good at it. I think she knew better than to try to teach me though. I was a Tomboy through and through and had no interest in learning to sew. She was thrilled that I was going to learn at school. I was expected to go to school every day and do my best. Personally, I felt I should have the option of taking woodworking instead. Back then, girls had to take Home Ec and only boys were allowed to take woodworking. It was so unfair!

I absolutely hated 7th grade because of sewing. I’d say it was the second worst year of my education. For the first time in my life, I was introduced to sewing. My sister and I were both in the same grade so we both had clothing at the same time. What you would think would be a very useful class was a joke for me.

Struggling Through

Our first project was to make a simple skirt. Mine was dark brown. I was best at threading the needle. I had steady hands and could easily slip that thread through the eye of the needle. The hardest part was making a knot in the end of the thread and knotting it again when I was done.

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A Humiliating Experience (Writer's Workshop)

In fourth grade a little girl was totally humiliated. She was a very quiet, shy, sensitive little girl who ALWAYS did as she was told. Unfortunately, when this girl had to move from the suburbs to Cleveland during the school year, she got the meanest, crabbiest teacher she ever had who I'll refer to as Ms. Grump. Although the little girl tried very hard to please this old lady, nothing she could do was good enough, especially handwriting. The girl's grades plummeted and she hated school that year.

One day after giving permission for several children to use the restroom, Ms. Grump got very angry at the class and announced "NO ONE IS ALLOWED OUT OF THIS ROOM FOR ANY REASON UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY!" Well, shortly after this proclamation, the little girl had to use the bathroom which she never had to do at school before until was Ms. Grump said that. Not wanting to make Ms. Grump any angrier and knowing she wouldn't be allowed to use the restroom, the girl just sat at her desk quietly and tried to hold it but peed her pants rather than ask permission to leave from Ms. Grump. A puddle formed around her desk. A classmate close by pointed out the water on the floor and pretty soon giggles busted out around the room. Ms. Grump saw what happened and the principal called the girl's mother to tell her that her daughter had a little accident and she should bring a change of clothes.

I was that little girl. I must say the other kids were great! They still treated me the same without making fun of me or teasing me about it. I think they all understood and felt sorry for me. I questioned if I should post this or not since it is something I'd rather forget, knowing that now the whole world could know. Since it was so long ago, I decided to hoping any teacher reading this will learn that being mean and intimidating is not the best way to teach.

What experience would you like to forget?

This post is in response to the assignment to "Describe an experience that you wish you could shake from your memory" as part of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop where you can find links to others or participate as well.

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