#14 Ms. Inveigle: my Third Grade Teacher

I really don't remember my third grade teacher's name but I do know that she was the one that introduced me to some life skills and was able to "inveigle" me to do or learn just about anything.

I don't remember her face, her clothes, her hair color or anything physical about her at all , what I do remember is.............her voice.................and her ears

Photo Credit:   http://yiazofwrle.ru/people/?bGlmZWF0Y2FtcC5jb20=

It was Crestwood Elementary School and I had a rough life for a 3rd grader.  I didn't really know anyone here............I was plucked from GH REID Elementary ...........where i was perfectly happy with lots of friends.........to CRESTWOOD where I knew NO ONE.


I sat in the back of the class because everyone else knew each other , got to class early and grabbed the front seats "all together" they knew what they were doing and where the best seats in the house were located.  I didn't, I didn't know what to do or when or who anyone was.   When I got into the classroom there were a couple of seats left..........

The couple that were left were located........ one on each side of "Bruce" who was 3 times the height and weight of all of the rest of the students in the class.  He always wore the same style and color and maybe even the very same clothes everyday.  Bruce's blue pants and blue work shirt were similar to a mechanics uniform AND he always had a runny nose and had to sit near the door just in case he might have an "accident."    NICE HUH?   Well, one thing for sure is that I would not be "talking too much" in this classroom as I had in the class the year before.


Ms. Inveigle gave us "writing prompts" and had us start "journaling" or "diary writing" in her class.  I found solace in this exercise.   I realized through doing this that no one really wanted to know my opinion about anything in "real life"  or if they did it wasn't influential or credited in any  way..............this exercise made me feel that someone actually was "hearing me"  and Ms. Invegle was ASKING me for my thoughts.  She made insightful comments in response to what I wrote ............she was never harsh and was "so sorry" that my parents had recently divorced, she "knew that must be hard on me."    Well, the truth was  it wasn't really hard on me at all.......  it was almost a "relief" or "release" when it happened, what was hard is that my role in the family changed from the child of 9 that was almost invisable  to one of "latch key kid" that checked in with a neighbor and caretaker of my 6 year old brother.  I became responsible for and punished by the acts of my brother who was 3 years younger and undiagnosed with a plethora of problems.  I was too young to understand this at the time and don't think I conveyed that well in my journal.  I wish I had as Ms. Inveigle may have had some great advice or words of wisdom for me.


Ms. Inveigle taught us many things besides journaling.  She taught us songs ...........
"the biscuits in the army , they say are mighty fine..............one rolled off the table and killed a friend of mine"
I loved that song.  I thought it was hilarious............ but we were told we couldn't sing it anymore rather quickly when one of the parents complained ,  saying it was "unpatriotic" and "disrespectful" 


Ms. Inveigle read to us the most wonderful stories and initiated my lifelong love of reading.  You see my parents didn't read........... period.  I don't think they ever read a book to me and I definitely didn't have any book lying around the house.   Books were not given to me as gifts.......... I had no idea what the covers had between them except for the beginning readers of "Dick and Jane" and "GREEN EGGS AND HAM"
She read to us the wonderful words that captured not only my attention but my imagination

"Charlotte's Web" ............the characters came alive in the classroom................. Ms. Inveigle read them perfectly.......so perfectly that I forgot about Bruce and his smell and his runny nose, I forgot about the divorce and I forgot about the responsibilities I had at home.  I loved coming to school........ I was able to really "live" sitting in that wooden school desk......... because Ms. Inveigle breathed life into the characters and introduced them to me one at a time.   When Charlottes Web was finished I was very sad.  I thought there would never be another book that I would love as much as this one......... I was wrong........


The 3rd Grade was over too quickly as I lived the lives of
"James" from James and the Giant Peach
Charlie from the Chocolate Factory
and 
Harriet,  from Harriet the Spy.............. 

 Most importantly i was introduced to the thoughts, actions and wonderment of other children, something I really didn't know too much about.  I was able to "relate" to others silently.
I wish I remember her name, her real name........... why I can remember "Bruce's" name and not hers is almost disturbing.........  I would like to thank her ..........thank her for asking me about my thoughts and then giving me things to think about.