The Girl Who Asked For Extra Homework
by Niki Wyre
The eager and quiet student approaches the teacher after class before asking for extra questions for homework. It sounds like a bad movie scene doesn’t it? If only… Warning this blog is going to get a few too many shades too real and sorry Mom, you might not want to read on. If you are looking for one of my heart lighted blogs, this will not be one of those journeys.
*Deep breaths* Okay so true story, this student was a girl that tried to fit in and wasn’t working for a better grade or to get in better with the teachers. I was often doted on my many of my teachers any way as they could sense I needed that extra attention. The good ones any way. You see I hinted before I was going to get real with you about my nontraditional hidden behind the scenes life. I was to present the perfect image to everyone. The perfect family, the perfect girl, the perfect student, etc etc. That is a lot of pressure when it was all a giant facade for a very unstable house of cards.
For all those out in there education, please pay attention to these gentle souls asking for more attention. It can be for many reasons. For me, homework for a time period, was the only entertainment I was allowed in my home. The only. At first my now ex stepfather had grounded me from just television, by physically cutting the cables with a knife inside my room and the line outside my room, and removing the phone line I paid for. Then he realized how much I didn’t care as long as I had my books. He stripped every single one away from my room. Every well loved title that I had been allowed to collect over the years (as clutter was not allowed) was removed.
Yes, the irony of taking reading away from growing mind. He left me with a massive dictionary, several packs of notebook paper, and pencils. At this point you would think, hey it can’t get worse… oh but it does. I found a lovely section on Greek and Roman mythology in the back of the dictionary that I found fascinating. So I made use of the notebook paper. I started copying down the figures I liked, making charts of the families. Oh yeah that got shut down quick. Large dictionary has now been taken away and I have been left with…. a bible.
So, homework became my escape. I already enjoyed my schooling and looked forward to visiting the outside world. It was my social time and time to be a bit free. Now you must ask what infraction caused all this to begin with? One of my duties was dishes, and when I left for school, my brother left a spoon in the sink. This punishment carried on for months. My Algebra II honors teacher was a saint in keeping my sanity. My English teacher in assigning additional reading in textbook. Bless them. For that is the only time I had a reprieve from the white walls, white furniture and silence.
Every morning, I got up, got ready, put on my fake smile and went off to my refuge excited to learn. Books were a luxury, education was my escape and human interaction was not something I took for granted even though I was always in turmoil inside. People often look back at high school and think back at great events like parties or get togethers… I didn’t have that, but I did have teachers, assignments, great literary finds and most of all survived.
Until next time,
<3 Niki Wyre
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Definitely brings back some memories