Frankly Put: A Letter To My Secondary School Teachers
It’s said, education is whatever is left when we have forgotten all we learnt in school. Outside in the real world battling forgotten lessons I thought, perhaps I could write this as a challenge to see how much I was “educated”. A letter somewhat, to account for what I carried with me from the second “4” of our education system. Here goes…
To Maths,
I sometimes doubt that I can still solve for ‘x’, reason being that math has evolved quite a bit since I last opened that KLB textbook (Secondary Mathematics — Kenya Literature Bureau). It has been, how do you say… “differentiated” and “integrated” a bunch in higher learning and I have never craved the days of stuggos that were Calculus I more.
Although, put a question on it in front of me right now and maybe the paper won’t come back blank. Maybe? I doubt. I mean… maybe.
On the all so bright side, my maths these days may not be numbers anymore but really, neither is algebra. See, that is where things seem to be holding water. Somehow, this concept has been taken, dipped, flipped and reversed and I am seeing things adding up in some interesting ways.
Seeing myself trying to fit squares in my circles and that geometry of “friendship” draining me. Taking the long way around to find the route to my day ones and learning there is no formula to keeping people around me. Though, I don’t have to show my work in who I choose to cut off and keep.
Thanks to you I figure, there is always something or someone to count on when things don’t add up. Watching life pass by, seeing the game in 0’s and 1’s on my A-game; focusing on the problem and solving it, minus the times my attention is divided and life comes at me from left field with its artistic method of slapping me with reality but I digress.
To Chemistry,
I don’t think I can name the elements of the Periodic Table like I used to. I do remember that there were concepts like reactivity and inert elements, metals and gases, groups and periods. To be honest, now that I think about it, maybe it could be an analogy for humans that walk the earth; be it strangers, acquaintances, friends, lovers, family, colleagues, teachers, subordinates, higher ups.
Hear me out, we are finding ourselves in boxes, labelled with our initials. Grouping ourselves with those like us in our various periods (generations; where I guess I am a “transition metal”? I mean millennial or Gen Z, I’m somewhere in the middle), it is interesting. There are those of us who can coexist in beautiful harmony and the products of our interactions are constructive to society. There are those of us whose interactions are toxic, that kill us, that degrade us. Nevertheless, we exist. We coexist.
But something I don’t think I could ever forget, would probably be labs. How we put chemicals together to get compounds, the smells, the colours, the excitement of going to the labs. Now, we go to different “labs”. Labs that don’t exactly have instruments of science. Labs that remain open beyond school hours. Labs where the chemicals we mix end up in our bodies (In some cases, find their way out the next morning with the beautiful side effects). Labs that aren’t for teaching but damn do we learn. Learn reactivity is dependent on which chemicals, how much of the chemicals are mixed and how much is taken. Learn that drama isn’t just for theatre kids and sometimes our “classmates” are stars but hey, we learn stuff.
To Biology,
Anatomy is key… Make whatever you will of that.
Moving on swiftly...
To Physics,
Because of you, I became acquainted with people like Archimedes, Bernoulli, Newton, Hooke, all these minds that fed me laws and principles of the universe. Of course this love of science drove me and still does, to keep the laws and principles in mind. It helped though, that under the rouse of learning, it was a must that we memorized and stated their words as is.
Archimedes and his principle on buoyancy and that, in fluids. Coming through to explain why things can and can’t float. Using formulas to find ways I can keep my head above the water because the way these streets are these days, you could think you are floating on positive vibes and affirmations only to be drowning in false beliefs.
Hooke and his spring, talking about elastic limits and such. A basis to stop me from extending myself in life beyond my capabilities. The more we grow, the more we can handle, right?
Newton doing the most and dropping three laws e.g.; “A student in bed will remain in that state unless acted upon by a large enough deadline”… I’m paraphrasing, of course. Then probably the most influential, “Every action has its equal opposite reaction.” Or it’s lesser known school of thought “ Karma”.
I’m still kinda working out the kinks of making and memorizing my own principles and laws though. Learning to state them as is, apply them with certainty and hold the universe to them too. I mean, it shouldn’t take a bath or an apple to do it… I’m assuming.
To Geography,
Note-taking is a skill; that is not bestowed on just anyone. The hours spent holding on to that pen, transcribing the textbook on to my exercise book, may probably be the reason why I write a lot these days. Also, penmanship game strooong from the hours of practice.
Learning about rock formation, climate and all that jazz, comes in clutch for my line of career — The one on paper, the source of titles and stuff. What lessons did I take away though? At least the ones I can sum up real quick…
In life what happens on the surface may be a reflection of our internal struggles — Them currents in the mantle. Take time to understand why someone houses heat beneath their skin, maybe therein lies the reason they push and pull, destroy and build themselves as is.
Life has valleys and mountains, sometimes they exist due to our own faults (Ha!) and they can be destructive, but also beautiful and constructive. All it takes is a bit of perspective to see which way the wind blows and fly to our destinations easiest.
Also Agriculture is A LOT to read and write when it isn’t your focus of study!
To Kiswahili,
My unrequited love goes unanswered. However, at least I can console myself in the fact that the cracks in our relationship aren’t plastered on the billboards of exam sheets. Sometimes, loving from a distance teaches patience and makes the heart grow all the more fonder. (Even without absence)
All the Lugha; kina mnyambuliko wa vitenzi, vitawe, vitate, visawe, Isimujamii, Fasihi Simulizi/Andishi, and who can forget Insha, premium character development right there. Anyway, haitaki makasiriko, I will still learn, live, speak, write and love you nonetheless. Maybe one day, you will love me back. Until then… Warrior spirit.
To English,
Look at me,
Writing,
Poetry-ing,
Who would have thought it? Not me…
In closing, after writing down this tip of the iceberg, could I say I am “educated”? Am I allowed to anyway? Perhaps.
But I have been taught. I have learnt and these lessons have stuck with me. I’m still learning. I hope to keep learning and relearning in new ways. Until then I guess… Challenge faced.
Yours scholarly,
Frankhie.
