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Wednesday, November 15, 2006The Hermione MomentFor the non-Harrypotterites among you: I'm talking about the moment at which you were the only one who knew the answer, or the only one who aced a test, or the only one the teacher singled out for praise, or...you get the idea. This is, of course, a thinly veiled excuse for bragging about my son. He's taking a Physics course for high school credit, and yesterday in class the teacher handed back their most recent tests. Jonathan's lab partner received his first, and exclaimed that he had received a 91 -- only one mistake. Then Jonathan received his test paper. He scored 100. His lab partner was angry. Sounds like typical male competitiveness, right? The old who-is-higher-on-the-totem-pole in the average classroom. The Hermione Moment. Naturally, I took Jonathan out for lunch to celebrate. Anyone who aces a Physics test deserves a turkey sandwich with pasta salad, at the very least. I remember an unusual Hermione Moment from my own life. If you're around my age, you may remember the reading comprehension tests we used to take. I think they were from Weekly Reader -- you know, read the paragraph, answer the questions, read the next paragraph, yada yada. Well, I walked into my English class the day after having taken the test. My teacher was an Uber-grouchy old maid of whom I was terrified. Yet on this Stellar Fourth-Grade Day, the woman loudly announced (she did everything loudly) that I, Jill Schafer, was the only student in the entire fourth grade -- nay, in the entire history of fourth grades in her teaching career -- who had ever gotten 100 percent on the Weekly Reader test. Ever. She initiated applause. I'm sure she also initiated less than warm and sappy feelings from my fellow classmates. There you have it. A Hermione Moment. The summer before my junior year in high school, my drama director asked me if I could hit a high C. I could, and told him so. Somewhere deep inside, I knew that he was casing me for the lead role in the next musical. Even so, I was nervous and uptight at the auditions, just like everyone else. Yes, I landed the role (Lili in Carnival). Yes, the high C sounded as squeaky and untrained as one might expect from a seventeen-year-old upstart. It was a Hermione Moment nevertheless. Now it's your turn. What was your most memorable Hermione Moment? Or what is the Hermione Moment you wish you'd had, but never did? Let's see who can climb to the top of the totem pole! |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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9of my readers are feeling chatty:
I ended up here after reading that you speak fluent Ubby Dubby. My fluency dates back to the 70s, which then dates me, LOL.
My Hermione moment? Not school related (I'm trying to forget the whole experience, all 21.5 years of it).
It was crossing the finish line at my first marathon. And I was NOT an athlete. And though I trained, and trained hard, I was still fat. But I did it. And I was NOT LAST!!
Proved that I could do whatever I set my mind to. :)
Happy Blogging!
Oh Lordy, this entry gives me flashbacks that make my head positively ache!
I suffered those moments at the hands of well meaning teachers all through school but I think the worst one was self-inflicted in my Junior year.
One of my best friends and I had stopped in to visit our high-school guidance counselor who happened to have just received a big printout of our class's standardized test scores.
This counselor had been my art teacher in grade school and still had fond memories of my annual art competition wins and my precocious ability to turn construction paper into hua yang even though I held my scissors wrong.
She always overindulged me and on this particular occasion she let me peek at the rankings. There in the number one spot (tied with our future valedictorian, a sweet girl who actually studied, did her homework and never cut classes) was yours truly.
"Ha!" I exclaimed haughtily, flipping the packet over to the last page "I wonder what idiot is dead last?" It was my friend. Yep, the one that was standing right there reading the scores over my shoulder. Uh..oops.
Oh well, at least no one could say I was an intellectual snob when it came to choosing my friends.
Say, do I win chocolate for reliving this? :-D
In 8th grade Geometry, We had to units with 4 sections. You had to pass all 4 sections to move onto the next unit. If you didn't get 100% on it, you had a lot of busy work to do to pass it.
On one unit in particular, I had a similar moment. The papers were handed out, and I was the only one in the whole class that aced all 4 sections. I got to sit around and do nothing while everyone else did their busy work. It was cool.
oh... I had one in college as well.
It was in the Freshman class where you study art, music, and such. On the art one, I was 1 point short of acing the entire deal. My essay included a fact that was incorrect I think.
When I first read the heading of your blog entry, I thought it was about Max Lucado's Hermie. LMSO! It's early.
I was a young school girl when my first hermione moment happened. I can't remember just how young I was but I never forgot the moment.
I was very shy and not confident in the least at that age. My parents didn't have money and I wore hand me down clothes. People knew it and they teased me sometimes. I also had red hair and freckles. Not a good combination in those days.
I was in class and the teacher asked if anyone knew how to spell a particular word. No one in the class knew how. I sat there wanting so bad to raise my hand. Seconds felt like hours as I waited. I finally got the nerve and slipped my hand into the air. Mind you, I was always the child who got sent to the Principal's office to get paddled because I would REFUSE to read my essay stories standing in front of the class. I just could not do it no matter how hard I tried. Ok, so I slipped my hand up and the teacher called on me. I spelled the word "loquacious" and my teacher praised me. Everyone was excited for me and I was elated! My teacher then asked about some other words. I knew the spelling of them as well but chose to remain silent after that. I suppose I didn't want to make anyone angry or give them another reason to tease me. I was so proud of myself for being a good speller. I never forgot that moment.
When I was in 3rd grade, we were given a test. A BIG 3 page test. We were told to read through all the instructions at the top before beginning our test. So, I did. At the very end of the lengthy instructions, it said to not answer any of the questions, but to write our name at the top of the page and sit quietly until everyone was finished. EVERYONE else, in all 4 classes, completed the three pages of questions. I was the only one who had read all the instructions. I remember I got some kind of prize, but I can't remember what. The other kids were so upset that they had taken the whole test!
Zany mom -- Thabanks fobor stoboppibing bahbye. :D Ya, you and I are dated just about the same. Congratulations on crossing that finish line!
Kerrie -- I KNEW you would have a story; your middle name is Hermione! ;) And that wasn't a Hermione Moment as much as it was a stick-your-foot-calf-knee-and-thigh into your mouth moment!!
Dave -- Those were GOOD memories! :)
Leese -- That's a WONDERFUL story! And you told it so beautifully. But all I can say is...YOU? SHY? QUIET? AFRAID TO TALK??????? LOL
Drama -- OH, GOOD for you!! But oh my gosh...what a freakin' sadistic teacher!!!!!
Hee! Yeah, I know, but pretty much all of my Hm's have mortifying twists like that! I'm blessed with a super-dominant dork gene. ;-)
OK, So ALORA made the all A honor roll her first term in 6th grade. She was outraged at her first "weekender" that some BOY asked her to dance (uh, hon... that's what happens at dances...BUT MOM...DOESN'T HE KNOW I"M ONLY 12!!!!) I tried to send you an update email, dearie but it bounced. I'm not as up on my blogging as you are on yours.
Hugs and congrats to frog boy from Alaska...
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