Remember Show and Tell in grammar school? Show and Tell was a popular public speaking exercise in North American schools. Show and Tell gave young students a chance to discuss or introduce a special memory, item, photo, book or object to their fellow classmates. Typically the child would stand in front of the class for several minutes and sometimes the teacher would allow students to ask questions afterward.
In first grade, I attended public school. I'm pointing this out because obviously we weren't wearing mandatory uniforms. It was the late 1970s and we were free to sport cute stripes, bell bottoms, corduroys, velour and Keds.
It was a very special day in Mrs. Gould's class. Why? Because I was in charge of selecting a handful of students to speak in front of the class and show off their beloved items. I had the power. It was all me. I'm not sure why this was so important.
My parents were teachers and knew how important it was to empower kids. My mom says she always let me pick out my own clothing, within reason and make many choices for myself, as long as they were safe and acceptable of course. She was big on properly picking her battles.
That day, I carefully chose students who were anxiously waving their hands, "Pick me! Pick me!" they'd call out. One by one, each child made their way to the front of the class, showing and telling. I'm guessing this activity was about 30-45 minutes of our afternoon.
At the end of Show and Tell, Mrs. Gould asked me to step outside the classroom. Busted. To this day, I'm always being called out for something. Typical Ally move. I wondered what I had done this time. I couldn't have been passing a note back then, I think I only knew how to put together simple sentences at age 6. Plus, I was busy being in charge! No time to pass notes or flirt with Benjamin F. Although I bet you anything that Benjamin F. was the first classmate I sent up there.
Apparently, a boy named Richie wanted to do his Show and Tell thing. I remember looking away from him and choosing other children. Mrs. Gould wanted to know why. Why wouldn't I allow Richie to take a Show and Tell turn? In mean girl fashion, I blurted out, "Richie wore the same shirt yesterday. I don't like that shirt and I don't like that he wore it two days in a row. Why would his mommy let him wear a dirty shirt to school two days in a row?"
To this day, I feel awful. How and why would I say such a thing? My parents were so chill. They still are. Nobody was/is snobbish. We were such a down-to-earth family. My mom shopped at JCPenney and Sears. I wore hand-me-downs passed on from my wealthy Jersey cousin, Lisa. If not for her hand-me-downs, I'd never own any Sassoon and Jordache. I was a Healthtex kid. In fact, I'm wearing my favorite pink striped Healthtex shirt in the fourth grade photo in my blog header above!
This post was inspired by this hilarious post by one of my favorite bloggers, Mean Girl over at MeanGirlGarage.com.
36 comments:
I love the name of your blog. Reminds me of the Judy Blume I loved so much as a kid! I'm now a follower, thanks for visiting my site!
http://jennsfoodjourney.blogspot.com
Poor kid.
I've tried Show and Tell with my first graders but it turns into 45 minutes of hearing about every Digimon ever invented.
Show & tell was so important. I remember bringing in my Chimpmunk Rock album in 2nd grade. I got to pick 2 song to play for the class. ...and being the helper? Well, it was like queen for a day!
I don't remember a darn thing about show and tell, other than we did have them back in the stone ages.
Awww....you were just a kid. Kids say the darnedest things sometimes. :)
I remember show and tell. My mother used to make me wear poofy dresses with poofy noisy crackly crinolines underneath! They always rustled when I sat down. I remember sitting beside a boy named Jimmy during show and tell one day. He demanded to know what was under my skirt. I said "nothing". The bugger didn't believe me, and he lifted my skirt! I developed a crush on him from that moment on.
That is so funny, Ally! How did your teacher respond? I love the way you wrote this too. It's almost in a kid's voice.
It looks like Mr. Stupidation wrote a piece on Show and Tell too. Great minds think alike.
xoRobyn
I like the logic behind that. I wouldn't associate with people who wore the same clothes two days in a row.
Especially bad clothes.
I have to say, when I was student teaching (since I never went into teaching), your response would have baffled me! lol
I actually didn't like show and tell as a kid, don't know why.
Don't beat yourself up over it. To be honest I bet you might've remembered it wrong. Maybe you said you didn't like the kid 'cause he picked his nose or set fire to birds during recess.
We all have had our first grade moments. It's when you're an adult and do them that make you mean.
I remember show and tell, but it always embarrassed me to have to do it.
Show and tell...how important you felt for those few moments showing your class the slightly fuzzy lollipop found under your couch that your dad swears was put there by Oscar the Grouch...
LOL I always used to pass notes. Rarely did I get caught tho. I got caught more in HS than I did in grammar school and thats cuz I didnt care to hide it. Then I upgraded to a "note"-book! lmao
I never did get to do show and tell. I wish I had. But then again I wouldnt know what I wouldve showed and told about. :-/
Funny tho, cause I always used to see it on tv never experienced it.
Aw, that's kind of sad.
How come the teacher was letting other students pick who would go next? Seems like she kind of walked into this problem.
In my 2nd grade class we each selected a day to go so it would be planned out when we'd go and so everyone would get a chance.
Favorite. post. yet.
I hated show and tell. We were a poor family back then. Show and Tell was always a humiliating experience for me as a result. I cheated though, and brought in natural stuff I would find while playing outside. I'd talk about it too. My pet rock!
:)
Love, as ever, your blog and your writing. I would hope you syndicate someday.
:)
Darlene
Sadako - I know what you're saying and you are 100% right. I once posted something about gym class when I first began blogging. I will re-post that soon. Back in those days there must have been some sort of "empowerment" thing with kids. Kids would be in charge of the class when teachers ran to the ladies room-they'd write your name on the board if you talked or acted up. Kids were in charge of picking teams, I was always last. It was horrible on your self-esteem as a child. My mom would send in news articles to my teachers, to no avail of course.
What? You didn't own Jordache? I can't believe I even read your blog.......
YOU are a MEAN GIRL!
Aw, man.
I think that we all have a similar story like that. In fact, I think that we need to experience being mean once so that we can learn how it hurts others.
(stopped by from SITS)
I so remember one of my first grade show and tells. It was during the Winter Olympics and Kristi Yamaguchi was going for the gold. I was talking about her but I really didn't do my research and someone called me out on it. Still bitter to this day.
You always have the best stories! You know I don't remember having much of a show and tell at my school-Hmmm ...
Awww...I would feel bad still too...I'm incredibly sensitive now. Wasn't then though!
My mom always tells the story about how I took her diamond ring to school for show and tell in 1st grade(without her knowledge). The teacher called her to let her know....
I do show and tell once a week with my preschoolers...They get up and Say "Good afternoon my name is...." and the other children respond with "Good afternoon...." Then they show their item and tell why it is important to them...
You were just a little kid...I am sure you didn't really understand what you were saying...
That's why we had Show and Tell? For public speaking practice? Those sneaky bastards... And here I thought it was to cater to our narcissism and allow us to spruce up our bragging skills.
I suck at public speaking (except in front of first graders). Probably because I never had anything cool for Show and Tell. I remember this one kid had ALL the Berenstain Bears books. The stack went up to his waist! (yes, he brought them all in) I was so jealous.
In second grade I brought my brothers genuine swords and nun-chucks for show and tell! I felt so cool that day and I didn't even get in trouble! (Nun-Chucks were illegal)
Aww, children can be really mean, but very honest too, they just tell things exactly as they see them. You always know where you stand with a child and I quite like that.
My husband is usually like that (the "you're a dork for crying about that" type) but we've come to a better understanding about needs. If mine aren't met....his aren't met either. Hahaha!
Thanks for stopping by my blog :0) I've had fun reading yours too. As Jenn stated, it really does remind you of Judy Blume!
I loved Show And Tell! Loved it! And I don't think you were being mean. I think you were just asserting a healthy fashion sense. Somebody needs to always be the fashion police.
My daughter, when told she could bring in her favorite thing to show and tell, announced she wanted to bring in her grandpa. And my dad did it. It was a beautiful memory to cherish.
I loved Show and Tell! I got to bring my new baby brother in once! We didn't pick, everyone got a turn.
Ally, that makes sense...I def. don't think it was your fault or anything. Just that I think the teachers should sometimes be more...um, teachery! to avoid this kind of thing.
It was still cute to read as your posts always are. :D
Hi Ally. Thank you for the comment. I'm sorry I made you sad. I'm sad too, and it's hurts my heart but I know I have to do it. It's going to be tough.
I'll be following you as well.
Judy Blume = love
I think that at some point, many of us have played both of these roles. I mostly played the one of the kid being ignored, made fun of, taunted, teased, etc....it sucked.
But little kids do and say dumb things sometimes. You shouldn't beat yourself up about it still. It's more than likely that kid doesn't even remember that day.
On another note, when I was in 1st grade, I brought my new baby brother for Show & Tell. LOL.
Oh Ally you were and are so cute!
I loved show and tell and now my girls do it and love it as well!
On a whole other topic I was talking to Diva yesterday and she has never heard of the game "Red Rover"! Do you remember playing that as a kid? I couldn't believe my girls have never played it before!
If it makes you feel any better, I would have probably said the same thing. Sometimes I had attitude in grade school-what? For our show and tell, girls were bringing in My Size Barbie dolls!
i remember in first grade, for show and tell, i brought in one of my cabbage patch kids. not such a big deal, except that we had MATCHING OUTFITS!!! a black "velvet" skirt and white blouse. i also had two matching sun dresses - the same dress, but one was purple and one was blue, and a matching belly shirt and short set. loved those!!
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