The Philippines: Grade 1

I studied in public elementary school. Our school year starts June and end in March.

When I enrolled in Grade 1, I was one month short from 6 years of age (July is my birthday), but they encourage me to come anyways.

I was sitting at the back, because our seating arrangement is alphabetical.
My last name starts with letter S, and I ask if I can use my first name instead to sit in the very front. I was told no.

Our teacher is the boss, she talk, we listen.
We have interactive learning.
She ask the questions.
We raise our hand if we know the answer.
She call the shots.
And we show em what we got.


If we misbehave, she has stick, she won't hesitate to use it.
If we complain, she will send us home, and our parents will beat you more.

I was good at math, it's genetics.

In grade one, we have one hour for math.
When my teacher has a question, I answered them all.
And then my teacher decided that I answered my quota for the day, so I should stop raising my hand to answer the question.

But I keep raising my hand, and
I wondered why it took forever for my classmate to figure out 2 + 3.
My teacher did not respond to me.
I felt my hand very heavy.
I hit my classmate in the head, the pupil in front of me.

She transfered me to the very front seat of the class, close to my teachers table.
She asked a question again.
I raised my hand and she ignored me.


I folded a paper airplane, and it flew straight to my teacher's face.
I got her attention...it was golden!