Second semester, senior year of high school. I am taking a required course: American History 1945-present, or something like that. Mrs. Payson is the instructor. The course meets immediately after lunch and the whole group – the people that I have been taking classes with since tracking began in seventh grade – is in the class.
From what I remember, the class consisted of lecture in which Mrs. Payson rattled off important dates, places, and people. Every week or so we had an exam which required us to regurgitate the information Mrs. Payson had given us. For example, the exam would list a date and we would be required to write what happened or vice versa. I was doing quite poorly in the class. One day Mrs. Payson asked me to stay after class to speak with her.
“Islander, I must tell you that I am surprised. I had always heard what a good student you were but you’re not doing well in my class. Not well at all. If your performance doesn't improve, you are going to end up with a C or even a D. Is something troubling you?”
I greeted her concerned smile with a smile of my own, “I know I’m not doing well, Mrs. Payson. It’s just that I believe memorization is a poor educational technique and a waste of my time.” I was so cocky and certain that I was being reasonable that I half-expected she would agree with me and give me the option of writing a term paper or something. Instead she bristled.
“Well, if you can live with a D than so can I.”
What an arrogant little twerp I was!
Perhaps you are wondering: Did Islander stick to her principles and take the D? Of course not. I studied for the last couple of exams and received an A- in the class.
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