My parents recently pawned off a box of my old schoolwork on me, citing a need for more space in their basement. This collection seemed to stop at 5th grade, probably because my parents could figure out where I was going in life, and they needed to cut their losses, where space was concerned.
In 4th grade, I had a teacher named Mrs. Ronhovde, who was a very patient woman, and probably a pretty good teacher. I’m not sure, I wasn’t the best at paying attention. One project she had us work on all season was a journal. We were given a daily topic every day to write about and were graded every month. My parents saved that journal. These are some very real passages from that journal.
TEACHER COMMENT: “Ryan- I’m really disappointed in this journal. You are showing no effort. I’m not sure if you even know how to express yourself or if you are lazy.”
Backstory… When I was young, I drew maps of fictional places. I was not very popular. Thus, this entry about things I wished for: “I wish I had a dog. I wish every map I make would become a true area. I wish that people would settle there not just appear. I wish natives would go first. I wish I got Tecmo super bowl. I wish we could get new seating.”
“I have a clever sense of humor. Not many kids like it, but adults do”
“I would never give up my Nintendo. It is what I play with most. I play it as often as I can”
“I would be tony the Tiger [sic] if I got to be a TV character. I’d get lots of frosted flakes and I’d get pretty good at sports”
I assume this was a question involving what I would do were I a reporter… “I would talk to a Rhino. ‘What did your parents name you? What country do you live in? What do you like to eat? Is it reporters like me? Yes? Good by! I’m outa here!”
TEACHER COMMENT – “I still need more [writing per day] to see if spelling, punctuation and ideas are all coming together. That’s necessary if anyone is to read stories or articles you write.”
And now a question involving who I would like to be… “I’d be Michel [sic] Irvin. He is a very good football player. He is one of the best recivers [sic] right now. Last year his team made it to the playoffs. I think he lives in Dallas. I know he plays for the Dallas Cowboys, unless he was just traded overnight. He has good playing teammats [sic] too, Emitt [sic] Smith and Troy Aikman are some.” (Sidebar… in another old document, I stated that Rod Bernstine was my favorite player. Rod Bernstine.)
An entry on things I would like… “Getting teamates [sic… I’ll get it yet] to pass a darn football to me. I never keep my catch (???) When they throw it to me I always catch it I can’t see why” TEACHER COMMENT – “Have you ever talked to them and asked them why?” “No”
“I joined a writing class. It’s really doing well.”
“Yesterday I learned I could be creamed by John Bastian in football, ooh, that hurts. Bye gotta catch that football”
In response on what I could do on a wintry day “I can clobber Kyle [my brother] with snoballs [sic], catch a cold, and (I’m sorry to say), GO TO THE WORST PLACE ON EARTH, SCHOOL!” I underlined that last line 20 times.
“If I had a lot of money I’d buy Tecmo Super Bowl. Maybye [sic] I’d make a business with my dad. I would get a football team for St. Luis [sic]. It be during a big free agent draft. I would name them the Storms. Of course I’d make a charity”
“I found new hobbies like…. seeing if Kyle’s teeth were loose.”
“My family and I like to be smart-alecs. We play with words a lot! We also like to be athletic. We watch sport games, never game shows.”
“I haven’t learned anything but what whale fat is used. That is for the eskimos. Love, Ryan”
“Whenever we play something athletic nobody picks me for there [sic] team.”
TEACHER COMMENT – “The days you make an effort, your writing is interesting.”
“The kind of teacher I like best is the kind that isn’t, or maybe doesn’t let us go to school, or maybe teaches us just geography.”
TEACHER COMMENT – “This shows very little effort. I know you can write better!”
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
