A grown-up returns to kindergarten in pursuit of learning and happiness
Around the World in 30 Desks
25Sep2008 Filed under: Childhood, Educational Philosophy & Practice, Elementary School, Reschooling Tools Author: Melia
If I had to name one classroom activity that used to make my adrenaline levels skyrocket, it would be Around the World.
Here’s how it works. One student begins the game by standing next to the desk of a classmate who will be the first
challenger. The two competitors face the teacher, who has a stack of flash cards with simple math equations on them. The teacher quickly pulls out a card and holds it up in front of the competing pair. The student who does the mental math and shouts out the correct answer first moves to the next desk, taking on a new challenger. The objective is to travel “around the world,” beating every classmate with quick-draw math skillz.
I’m not gonna lie — back in my day, I was kind of a big deal at this game, drawing grumbles from the other kids when it was their turn to challenge me. I don’t think I exactly looked forward to competing, since the threat of losing in front of everyone made me anxious. I remember my heart racing with each new round, feeling pressure to perform and relief when the game finally ended.
Today I had the same sensations when I played Around the World against my fourth grade classmates, using multiplication flash cards. My opponent, who had beaten several other kids before arriving at my desk, groaned when he got to me and said something like, “I’m soooo dead.” Turns out, he was right: I ended his winning streak by shouting “21!” as soon as 3 x 7 came up. Yeah, smart guy, what now?
4 x 9. 8 x 2. 7 x 6. The cards kept coming, and I kept traveling. My mind would freeze for a second and go blank before retrieving the answer, but I still managed to beat seven challengers. Then I got to Jessie. She yelled out the answer to 5 x 6 before I even saw the whole card. I sat down, as amused as the rest of my classmates at my defeat, and watched Jessie sweep the rest of the room.
Part of me was glad that I could enjoy playing Around the World for the first time without taking it so seriously. Another part of me, however, the part that needs to dominate even at a friendly Game Night, wanted to win. I was tempted to step up to the little math champion and say, “All right, Miss Smartypants, you win for today, but care to challenge me to a spelling bee tomorrow?”
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
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About Reschool Yourself
Reschool Yourself is a year-long exploration of how school shaped the person I became, and how I decide to educate myself from now on. This fall I'm returning to my old classrooms week by week, to understand how school influenced my identity and to regain the happiness and creativity of childhood. In the spring I'll pursue learning opportunities in the U.S. and abroad to become as autonomous as possible. I'll share my experiences of "reschooling" and personal development through this website and provide a forum for readers of all ages to exchange their own. This site is a place to tell our stories about education: our experiences past and present, and our vision for future generations.
— Melia Dicker
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Margaret
September 26th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Wow, I think we did something like this, and that it was pretty fun. What I liked best in this entry were the photos, which show smiles and a very dynamic teacher- look at that stance! It’s good when you can see a teacher’s enthusiasm and know that the ‘kids’ are catching it. :o)
Melia
October 1st, 2008 at 10:51 pm
The teacher is awesome and very energetic. The kids were all over this game. I do wonder about the kids whose minds just don’t work that way, or that quickly — it would be nice to be able to opt out. But it seemed as if everyone was playing in good fun.