Mrs. Hensley walked through my second-grade classroom door
every morning at, what seemed to me to be, the same time every day. “John and
Sally*, you can go with Mrs. Hensley, now,” my teacher, Mrs. Dooley, would say
to the two students if they were unaware of Mrs. Hensley’s presence.
I wondered where they went for an hour or two every day while
I and the rest of my classmates sat at our desks that were lined in straight
rows facing the front of the classroom. I always longed to go on whatever
adventure they experienced once they walked through the doors into the hallway.
I loved school because I had many friends and Jefferson
County North Elementary School in Winchester, Kansas was this
seven/eight-year-old’s big social outlet. But the real purpose of attending
school was not fun for me and I longed to escape the struggle. I wrestled with
learning simple concepts and was mortified when my academic abilities, or the
lack thereof, were exposed.
My wish to flee the difficult moments finally happened one
day when Mrs. Hensley walked through the door and Mrs. Dooley said to me,
“Lorraine, you get to go with Mrs. Hensley today.” I was ecstatic.
I discovered that John and Sally went outside to one of the
mobile units that sat directly beside the red-brick school. I knew one side was
for the Kindergarteners but didn’t know the designation for the other side of
that mobile classroom. It was a mystery to me and my innate quest for adventure
was satisfied at the chance to explore the unknown.
My seven-year-old self realized that it was a place that you
got to learn in a fun and special way. Although hands-on and experiential
education is mainstream in today’s curriculum, in 1973’s midwestern small town,
USA, it was an innovative concept and the words “hands-on/experiential” were not
uttered at that time among teachers and administration. I unknowingly got to participate
in something that would become mainstream in future education.
Math and spelling were the subjects during my time spent in
that mysterious side of the mobile unit. (Or was it one, three or more hours?
Time escapes you as a child.) We went outside and gathered up snow. We measured
it along with other ingredients and made snow ice cream. From there, we worked
with worksheets. I just remember the numbers and spelling of words as it
related to our experience making snow ice cream.
I excelled and felt smart. In fact, as the other two
struggled – my heart went out to them – so I would help them. Or, I tried. Mrs.
Hensley always interrupted me and focused my attention on something else. I
didn’t understand why she kept interfering with my collaboration with them as
they worked on their own, unsuccessfully. I was convinced they needed my
assistance.
For the first time in my life (because, you have lived a
very long life by the age of seven and eight), I loved learning. The subject
matters that I struggled with didn’t intimidate me in those few hours. I was so
excited about the experience that when Mrs. Hensley returned us to Mrs.
Dooley’s classroom to be with the rest of our classmates, I burst in with excitement.
“Hey, you guys – that was fun! We even made snow ice cream!” To which Mrs.
Dooley sternly chastised me. “Lorraine. Sit down!”
I was disappointed the next day when Mrs. Hensley made her
daily appearance to pick up John and Sally. I was told that I wouldn’t need to
go with them anymore.
As an adult, I realize
that I was a potential for Special Education since I didn’t quite fit into the
mainstream – but since I excelled in Special Ed, I didn’t fit in there, either.
I was most likely one of those students who would be classified as “falling
through the cracks.”
Do I blame my teachers for not knowing what to do with me –
the anomaly? Absolutely not. Was my educational experience perfect? No.
However, I never once felt shamed by my teachers and I always felt supported. The
educational staff may not have been perfect, but they were perfect at providing
the best education they could with what they had. In fact, if it was not for the
support my teachers gave to me, I wouldn’t be here today as a managing editor
and writer of a local newspaper whose mission is positive and solution-based
news, typing this Insight to introduce this publication’s education section.(be sure to check out page 7 and beyond in our online and print section, "Eagle Youth News").
Supporting our local school system and education is the
reason we have decided to add this section in this week’s Windham Eagle
newspaper. This is our first attempt and we plan to do more. We hope you check
it out – but more importantly – we hope the students, teachers and
administration feel the support we deeply wish to give. Afterall, education
that happens today is what our future becomes.
From my perspective, after having
interviewed students in the Windham and Raymond communities who I had the
opportunity to meet, we have a great future ahead of us and we have nothing to
fear. Everything is going to turn out just fine.
*To honor their own journey in education, their names have
been changed.
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