Picture Day Memory

Clip-art by Microsoft Office

This past Wednesday was Picture Day for the faculty and students at the school where I am student teaching. All the second graders were excited about having their pictures taken, so I thought I would share with them one of my vivid memories of past picture days. I recalled the story of when I was in fourth grade and had pictures after coming from P.E. 

It was a warm day, and we had been running around the track course. Somehow, my nice, prepared hair was no longer nice-looking! When it was time for pictures, I took a comb and simply started combing my hair back, like I typically did that year. At the time, as I was standing in line and waiting my turn, I was puzzled as to why several teachers kept laughing at my hair. I was certain that I had combed my hair, so why were they laughing in my direction? Well, I did not know it at the time, but it turns out that by combing my hair back I had given myself a very poor unintentional impersonation of the "Elvis" hairdo. To this day, I cringe every time I see my fourth grade portrait!

Anyway, the students loved the story. They found it amusing how their "teacher" made a terrible picture when he was a kid. When we got to the room where the photographer was, I was under the impression that the only ones having their pictures done were my cooperating teacher and the students from my homeroom. Well, imagine my expression as I discover that all interns had to have their pictures taken too! To some, this would be less horrifying news, but I had just recently taught two classes about the sun's energy, and I had tried on a couple of hats to show examples of how to be safe outside in the sun by wearing decent hats the proper way. Once I found out that I had to have my picture taken too, I automatically returned to the memory of my fourth grade portrait. I was like "Oh, no!" The students thought I feared getting my picture taken, so it amused them as I asked several, "How's my hair, is it fixed okay?" Thankfully, a couple of the kids were honest and told me areas that needed flattening down. I just hope I don't have another poor "Elvis" hairdo!