Re:Righting the Wrongs; do's, don'ts, Golden Rule(r)s

Branching out, Growing Up: Another branch of math not specifically, explicitly mentioned in my most recent post here (8/20, at a time where many youngsters and collegians, as well as their teachers/professors, already find themselves back in settings of "formal education") is one which calls for a ruler and/or protractor (when was the last time you saw or held one of the latter?) -- in our days, prior to high tech, before a whole range of gadgets calculate all this stuff for "kids these daze", in order to draw straight lines, and/or circles, let alone drawing conclusions, in solving "proofs"...mostly a 'game of inches' which eventually added up to feet, and a bit down the road, whether during the next card marking, semester..."you'll need this for next grade, where things get real serious..." we even learned to "convert"! whether this meant using the ruler, etc. as a demo for fractions, or comparisons with the "decimal system" and "base ten"! As our knowledge base itself grew in both breadth and depth (i.e., learning how to think critically..."critical thinking"😔) we also became more acutely (versus "obtusely"😕) aware, via "report cards" (whatever came of those...replaced now by "parent portal", "Schoology", etc.) that were sometimes issued at "parent-teacher" conferences (still occasionally happening "In Person", where the student in question sits in anticipation either next to their parents or out in the hallway, or who-knows-where😉 if held virtually) how we "measured up" in and out of school, in and out of the classroom, including in so-called "specials" and even on the so-called "playground" (which for me and us was more of a battleground, the site where many important conflicts played out, such as "king of the castle💪", which has fallen out of favor...fashion...) a place where the game of "Tag!" has even been criticized by so-called educational authorities, child advocates, not just because some of us tagged a bit aggressively, but due to the bruising of egos, otherwise in educational circles, recently referred to as "self-esteem"...

Sc(old) School(?): Quite a transformation, trend in both school settings and at home, as to what constitutes a 'balanced equation' of firmness and nurturance...reaching far back to the eras of "spare the rod..." to a contagion or programs which seem, at least implicitly, to place the importance of the child's feelings, "self-esteem" above all else...even removing traditional grades, giving "participation" (versus "first, second place") trophies, not keeping or erasing score cards in so-called competitions (trust me, the adults might not but most of the players know) as ways to give kids, students feedback as to how they 'measure up'...(as in "we're all above average😃😌😕!") Luckily, what previous, current and "likely voters" can agree on are some time-tested, gold standards, such as the "Golden Rule" which for us in the BB gen, became sort of our first encounter with DIY moral code ("do unto others as...") which was back then 'spelled out' and omnipresent -- as appearing on school/classroom walls, and now overheard in various iterations on "morning announcements" perhaps more cryptically these days, so as to not sound like the authority is criticizing, lest they bruise the students' egos, sound too moralistic...Yes, whether implied, explicitly stated...

Law of the Hand/Land: Where the 'firm hand' approach eventually became supplanted, supplemented by the awareness, that "calmness and firmness in guiding both children and their parents are not incompatible" (as our professors in grad school taught us aspiring psychologists, still a guidepost). And, as we matriculated into JHS and most into high school (not so with some of our grandparents, many of which had to "drop out" or take what is now known as a "gap year" to help out at home or "in the fields"), as we took courses in U.S. History, Government (including "branches")...Civics ("rights and responsibilities of citizenship" a title itself which came under fire in some educational circles, "cancelled"!, replaced by...?) we learned that besides those rules and laws written on classroom walls, there existed some that were "unwritten" rules of conduct, "appropriate" behavior...and if we were lucky enough, "stayed the course", took the right course, advanced to one which allowed for animated conversation about both the "letter" and the "spirit" of the law...well, then things really got interesting, as in when, whether at the high school or in even in higher places of learning -- colleges, universities, we were encouraged to actively debate, exercise our "free speech" (an ongoing topic of hot debate on/off campus, of course) which, in fourth and sixth grade (same teacher for me fortunately) we were beckoned to "THIMK" (as in "yep, we're going to learn to think critically and have active debates about lots of topics this year, so long as we treat each other with respect, present our facts...I as your teacher will encourage you to stick to your guns, stand your ground"...sure can't say that anymore). Where we eventually learned that speaking up on behalf of those that could not was just as important, depending on timing, circumstance, audience, as "holding our tongue" ouch😖!  in being patient, not interrupting others when they seemed to have trouble "getting to the point"😕...and that at other times, it might even "better to leave things unsaid"..."Silence is..."

"No Guarantees" A common response from teachers and parents alike, in response to our complaints about "It's not fair!" That in life there are few guarantees, whether about our relationships, on the field of play (both literally and otherwise), in having a milestone moment postponed due to 'inclement conditions'...the ebb and flow in the stock market, in price of commodities and precious metals fluctuating in response to so many factors beyond our control. But a few things we can be completely certain of, regarding life's lessons and those attempting to teach us, the ones that are both timeless/priceless, is that many generations into the future, upon looking back on us now, will beg the question "what were they thinking?!" and provide us with some instruction of their own, "perhaps they should practice what they teach"😇 Golden Scoldies.

Coming soon (whether you want it or not): Re:port-all cards😓. And, of course, whether you have the appetite for it or not..."school lunches" 😝