One-Room Schoolhouse

This past Tuesday the elementary students went on a field trip to a one-room schoolhouse. At the last minute, I decided that I wanted to go as well. Because I wasn't sure if I would need to leave early, I followed the school bus in my car.

This is what I got to see the entire ride there....

A bunch of goofy girls making faces at me! (Just so you know, we were stopped at a light when I took this picture :P)

The place we went was called the Claussville One-Room School...

Our "tour-guide" talked to the children for a bit outside the front of the school. Unlike back in the olden days, when they had horses, carriages and the occasional motor car going up and down the dirt road nearby, this poor woman had to shout over the noise of the loud trucks and cars zooming by on the rather busy main road!

After awhile, she took the children in by grade and got them organized in the classroom, assigning each of them a desk. Once all the children were inside, she gave them all name tags, and they actually became the children who once attended this particular school back in 1927. Some rather unusual and somewhat "old-fashioned" names that were given were - Ernest, Norman, Mary, Lillian, Donald, Roma, Evelyn, Carolyn, Frederick, Carl, William, and a name that many of us found rather humorous...Adolph!!

- The teacher's desk -

Once all the children were assigned their new names, our tour guide officially became Mrs. Masters, the school teacher. She let the children go outside for a few minutes, and then she rang the school bell. All the children scurried in and found their desks. School had officially begun. I was simply fascinated with the next 30 to 45 minutes of our time there. I've always been curious how one teacher taught so many different grade levels in one school room. It was quite amazing, let me tell you! The school day started with saying the pledge to the American flag, singing a patriotic song, and reading a Scripture passage. Then it was time for lessons. Oh my!! A teacher definitely had to be an extremely organized yet flexible woman back then (not that she doesn't have to be now)! Obviously, what we observed was rather fast paced because we weren't there for an entire school day, but still, it was pretty neat to watch! She had one grade level at the chalkboard, while giving another grade level an assignment to do on their slates. Then she had the older grade level read a chapter out of one of their readers and answer questions in their tablet. Then she would have another grade level stand in the aisle and do a spelling bee. It was neat to see how diligently these children worked on "pretend lessons." Although they did discover that Mrs. Masters was pretty strict, and if they made one tiny little error in their lessons, she told them that they were going to have to stay after school and do some extra work. :)

Finally, it was time for recess. Mrs. Masters taught the children a game called "Drop the Handkerchief". It was very similar to "Duck-Duck-Goose" but instead of tapping a child on the head when you wanted them to chase you around the circle, you would drop a handkerchief behind them.

The students standing in front of the school with their "teacher" Mrs. Masters. :)

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed going along on this field trip! I am generally not someone who makes last minute decisions, but I am glad I did! :) I felt like I was back in Little House on the Prairie days. On this field trip I just got a "glimpse" of what it must have been like to teach so many grade levels in one school day. Although it seemed rather intimidating, it definitely "sparked up" the teacher heart inside me again! Now I can't wait to teach Kindergarten again, hopefully this next school year! I am sooooo glad God has given me the opportunity to teach!!