Ode to 5th Grade

A classmate of mine from 5th grade recently posted a picture of our 5th grade class on Facebook. It has elicited many comments about bad hairstyles, fashion, etc. I was in a "Little House on the Prairie" dress. Or at least a shorter version of one of those dresses. Having people comment about 5th grade has reminded us all of a learning experience we had then. Our teacher, then Miss Masters, had us memorize the prepositions. As our test we had to get up and recite them. Although memorizing came naturally to me, this was a real chore for some people. "Aboard, about, above, across, after, against, along, amid, among, around, at..." and that's just the "a's"

What is highly amusing is that it has come out in the FB comments that many of us from Miss Masters' 5th grade class can STILL RECITE THE PREPOSITIONS. It seems that things you memorize at the age of 10 stick with you. Unlike the things you learn an hour ago. It has been hilarious reading that members of my class have in recent years seen our old teacher and informed her of our continued mastery of the prepositions. She has now commented on our picture saying that we were one of the best classes she ever taught.

We may have been a great class, but she was an awesome teacher! She was young and enthusiastic and cared. She used to come out and play football with us at recess - in her high heel shoes. She organized recess softball tournaments for us. She also had us doing short plays for English. The one I was in was called "Peter, Peter, Peter." I was the Brain, the nerdy, intellectual kid who used lots of polysyllabic words and was an inventor. We had a great time putting together those plays.

I loved 5th grade. Miss Masters made learning fun, and she clearly cared about her students. It was my best year of school. I think I'll go "Friend" my teacher and tell her so.