Interviews: Experiences in Elementary School
Conducted by Clare Hoelscher on Sunday, April 21, 2019 with 9 participants from age 7 to age 20.
Participants will be denoted by the first letter of the biological sex and their age. If there is more than one participant with the same label, a number will be added.
(Example: A female participant who is 17 years old may be referred to as "F17". If there is more than one participant who is a 17-year-old female, then one of these participants may be referred to as "F17-1".)
Experiences in Elementary School Interview Questions
1. Are you currently in school? If so, what level or grade?
F20: Currently in school; Senior in college
F18-1: Currently in school; 12th grade
F18-2: Not currently in school; some college completed
F15-1: Currently in school; 10th grade
F15-2: Currently in school; 9th grade
M12: Currently in school; 6th grade
F10: Currently in school; 5th grade
F8: Currently in school; 3rd grade
M9: Currently in school; 3rd grade
2. What types of schools have you gone to for elementary school?
F20: Co-ed Catholic private school; all-girls Catholic private school
F18-1: Co-ed Catholic private school
F18-2: Co-ed Catholic private school
F15-1: Co-ed Catholic private school; all-girls Catholic private school; homeschool
F15-2: Co-ed Catholic private school
M12: Co-ed Catholic private school
F10: Co-ed Catholic private school
F8: Co-ed Catholic private school
M9: All-boys Catholic private school
3. On a scale of 0 to 10, (0 being absolutely terrible, 5 being mediocre (neither positive nor negative) and 10 being absolutely wonderful), how would you rate your experience in elementary school?
F20: 8
F18-1: 2
F18-2: 7.5
F15-1: 3
F15-2: 7
M12: 9
F10: 10 or a 6, depending
F8: 7 or 8
M9: 10
4. Why did you choose this rating?
F20: I had a lot of good teachers in elementary school, so I got a good foundation in all my subjects. I was shy and didn’t have a lot of friends so that made school less fun. Overall I liked elementary school better than middle school and I think it was because I had teachers I liked.
F18-1: I did not like my classmates or teacher very much.
F18-2: I liked my friends. I was a generally happy child, and so I was generally happy about everything. Except homework.
F15-1: I had a bad haircut so no one wanted to talk to me. And I didn’t do my homework.
F15-2: Kindergarten was my favorite. Lots of arts and crafts, plus naptime. The teachers were very helpful in all of elementary.
M12: Because it has been good overall.
F10: I’d say that school is great, but it can depend of who is in your class; if classmates aren’t very nice, I’d say a 6 instead of a 10. If the teachers are nice to you matters too. It also depends on if you’re a good student or not. If you’re a good student, then the teachers are nice to you, but if you’re bad student, then you sort of have a bad reputation, I guess. None of my teachers were very strict though. I wasn’t ever a troublemaker, so they were nice to me.
F8: Because I like some subjects but I don’t like all of the subjects, but I pretty much like all of the subjects, I guess. Teachers are also really important.
M9: I really like my school.
5. Rank the following in order of how important each factor has been in shaping your view or memory of your elementary experience:
Teachers
Classmates/Social Interactions
Classroom environment
School administration
F20: Teachers, Classmates, School Administration, Classroom Environment
F18-1: Classmates, Classroom Environment, Teacher, School Administration
F18-2: Classmates, Teachers, Classroom Environment, School Administration.
But it’s complicated because I feel like the teachers and the classmates make up the classroom environment.
F15-1: Teachers, Classroom Environment, Classmates, School Administration
F15-2: Classroom Environment, School Administration, Teachers, Classmates.
I had a lot of behavioral issues as a kid, so I was always in the administration office talking to the principal and stuff, so how the administration responds to those types of situations helps a lot because most of my childhood was getting help from the administration. But the classroom environment is also a big thing because if everyone is rowdy or one kid is always interrupting everyone and distracting the class, then the whole class isn’t going to listen to the teacher, but if you have all of the kids in check, then that makes it much easier to learn. Also, I think the administration is important, but I really don’t understand what the principal really has to do with how students are in their classrooms with their teachers.
M12: Classmates, Teachers, Classroom Environment, School Administration.
Classmates are the part of school that I remember the most.
F10: Classroom, Teachers, School Administration, Classroom Environment
Probably your classmates and your teachers are the most important, because if you work well with your classmates and teachers, because if you work well with your classmates, you don’t feel left out at lunch or recess, and then you have to go back into class which is more stressful than lunch and recess. It’s also important to have a good principal who kind of just lets you get away with things a little bit easier, but if the principal is very strict, then it’s not very fun. Also, principals decide the uniform policy so that’s pretty important.
F8: Classroom environment, Teachers, Classmates, School Administration
Teachers help you, and with classmates, you can be partners with them when your teacher says so and sometimes they behave well.
M9: School Administration is the most important, and the other things are all about the same.
You need someone running the school, like the principal. If they’re a nice principal, then you’re probably going to have more fun and they’re not as strict. And the principal makes the rules for the whole school.
6. Did you have uniforms in your elementary school? If so, did you like them?
F15-2: Also, I don’t like having uniforms in school because if they get dirty, there’s nothing you can change into and they’re usually white so it’s hard to keep them clean.
F11: The only thing that is good about uniforms is that you don’t have to stress about what you wear or worry about if something is too revealing or anything. You just have something set out and you don’t have to worry about making a choice for what you wear. Also, for our uniform, they give us some options. But the only thing that is really bad about uniforms is that now that they’ve gotten really strict about them, you have to wear a uniform sweater, and if the classroom’s cold, but you don’t have a uniform sweater, you can’t wear a sweater. Also, the uniform policy at my school was so strict that we had to have only black ponytail holders.
F8: I really like uniforms because you’re all in the same thing, so it’s nice, and when people visit the school, they think the school and the students are nice, and they want their children to come to that school.
M9: I like uniforms, but the only problem with mine is that mine is white, and there’s dirt. Also, they give us sweatshirts, and you can only wear that uniform sweatshirt in the building. You can’t wear other sweaters or anything.
7. What do you think are the most important qualities for a teacher to have?
F20: Understanding and patient, fun and exciting, fair and unbiased. Being understanding and patient is especially important in elementary and middle school because everything is new information so it can be frustrating to learn. My favorite teachers were always the ones who were calm and helped explain everything without getting frustrated. If a teacher is fun and exciting and if the students like their teacher and form a relationship with them, then school is more fun and the information becomes more exciting. It’s also really important for teachers to be fair and unbiased. I have noticed this in college more than anything, but teachers grade based on how much they like you. So far this has worked in my favor, but it is frustrating when teachers let one thing slide for one student but then do not for another.
F18-1: Understanding, knowing your students, putting in effort, knowing that students are trying their best, being chill
F18-2: Passionate about teaching, compassionate towards students, patient, being a skilled teacher, being able to gain respect from students
F15-1: Fun, helpful, try to get to know you, and not too strict but also not being a pushover.
M12: Teachers have to be interpersonal, and good at talking to people and good at forming relationships). They have to interact with the students more, and they have to be nice.
F10: Definitely being kind and being able to talk to you as your friend because sometimes students think, ‘Oh, that’s my teacher. I can’t be friends with her. I have to do what she says.’ Instead, you want a teacher who you can get to know well and who knows you and who you can be friends with and not be afraid of them. And you can talk to them about stuff that’s not just about school, like about your personality and how their life is going. Also, I think teachers should be strict but not too too strict. They’re very very nice when the kids are acting good, but if you don’t listen, then I definitely think they should be kind of strict and make sure you’re paying attention. I have the perfect teacher now, and she kind of helped me through everything. And she doesn’t give too much homework, and she’s not very strict unless you are not behaving. I also think that the teacher should be able to have a cool-down and be able to trust the kids because sometimes even if your class has a bad reputation, then I think the teacher should be able to still trust us to behave if she has to go to the bathroom or something and she can say, ‘Okay, I am going to trust y’all to behave for the 5 minutes I am gone.’ Good-quality teachers are able to trust their students.
F8: Not too nice, but not too strict. Also, being kind because if you have a question about something, then they should be able to say, ‘Oh, you’re doing it wrong. Let me help you figure out the right way to do it.’
M9: Teachers should be strict, but they also have to be understanding. And they also have to explain things that you get wrong, like maybe on a test, and they help you learn things even when you’re confused. Not too strict, but also not too nice.
8. Describe one of your favorite teachers from elementary school. What made that teacher so great? What kind of an impact did that teacher have on you? Did this teacher change any part of your approach to school or education at any point in your experience with this teacher?
F20: My kindergarten teacher. She really helped me make some friends and get out of my comfort zone. She also was patient with me when I didn't want to come to school or had trouble with homework. I think this teacher gave me more confidence to make friends and helped me get through Kindergarten because it was the first year I was away from my mom all day. She obviously taught me basic fundamentals and helped with my reading. She made me hate school less. Even though I’ve always been smart and never had issues with grades, I always hated going to school even in High School. Having a really good first year teacher helps kids realize why school is important and why you should try your best.
F18-1: One of my reading teachers. She took the time to connect with us and to get to know us, and she shared about her life with us. She was really cool.
F18-2: My third grade teacher. She was an absolutely great teacher. You could tell she really cared about her students as individuals. She would even come up with fun nicknames for us and nice stuff like that. She was also very knowledgeable about what she was teaching, which was third grade math. She also was super willing to give kids extra help, and she would have an after-school tutoring time to help kids who were having trouble understanding the lessons. She was so passionate, and she was so good at what she did.
F15-1: My math teacher. She always shared her personal stories with us, which made class more interesting and made us more comfortable with her. She would teach when she needed to, but we mostly understood the information. She taught, but she also got to know us. It was just so fun, and I still learned a lot.
M12: I don’t really remember any of my teachers. And I don’t think that any of my teachers changed the way I think about school.
9. How much of an impact did social interactions or your relationships with your classmates have on your experience in elementary school?
F20: It had a huge impact. Elementary school wasn’t so bad because I had a small group of friends, but middle and high school were harder because I was missing the friend aspect. It definitely makes going to school more fun and motivates you to try harder. I remember when I first started going to elementary school, I wouldn’t want to get out of the car in carpool line because I didn’t want to have to see my classmates.
F18-1: A lot.
F18-2: They were a super big deal. If you have classmates who don’t like you or won’t be friends with you, it doesn’t matter how great the teacher is; you’ll still end up not liking being at school if your classmates are being mean to you. You’ll end up being so focused on everybody else and what they think of you more than what you’re learning.
F15-1: It didn’t really affect anything. In middle school, social interactions became more important, but in elementary, it didn’t matter at all really.
M12: A lot because you’re with them all the day, for about 7 hours a day.
F10: It’s really important because if your classmates are really nice to you and they listen to the teacher, it’s not as stressful to go to school because then you are able to have a better experience. Like if a teacher is yelling at someone in the class, you know they’re not really yelling at you because you’ve been behaving, but in a sense, you’re still getting yelled at and it’s not fun. Sometimes, I dread going to school on Mondays because my classmates talk so much in class and because of how they act and don’t listen.
F8: I think it’s important because you can always trust your classmates and friends with anything.
M9: Yeah, classmates are important because you have to have friends.
10. Did you have outside recess or free time in elementary school? If so, about how long was it per day? Was it something you enjoyed or benefitted from?
F20: I think we had recess for 30 minutes a day. I played soccer and kickball at recess in elementary school, but after the first couple of years, it was something I dreaded instead of something I looked forward to. Lunch time was always rough because I didn’t have a group to always sit with. Recess was my favorite part of the day when I was younger, but after that it was a waste of time.
F18-1: Yes. It was about 15 minutes, maybe up to 30 depending on the grade I was in. At some point, we also did a national structured recess program every other recess where we had to jog or run around the playground for most of the recess time. It was part of an exercise initiative, but it was really hot and recess wasn’t a break anymore. It stopped being something we looked forward to. I only liked recess when I could play games like four-square because it was fun and it was something I was good at.
F18-2: Yes. About 30 minutes. I absolutely loved recess. It’s really good to have breaks during the day, especially when you’re a little kid and you’re trying to learn all of this new information. I feel like if I hadn’t have gotten to go out for recess, I wouldn’t have been able to be as successful in school. And I’m sure recess also helps kids with social interaction.
F15-1: Yes. We had an hour. I liked recess a lot.
M12: Yes. It was about 20 minutes a day. It was outside recess unless it rained. Yes, it was good and really fun. It kind of gives us a break from learning stuff.
F10: Yes, mine is from 11:40 to 12:00, so it’s 20 minutes. Sometimes if my class was being good, we get free time in our classroom too, and we get to do STEAM activities and have fun with that. Sometimes recess is not fun because it’s too hot outside, so the inside free time is sometimes more fun. Since our recess is fifth through eighth grade, my class is the youngest class there, so the eighth graders can be kind of intimidating, and I’m not very social, so I don’t like talking to people I don’t know very much. And you either go on the field and play soccer, you stay on the blacktop and you play basketball or gaga ball or infection, so it’s not really fun playing your own game because everyone has a thing that they like to play already, and it’s intimidating to try to do something else or start a new game with my friends.
F8: Yes, it’s about 30 minutes. I love recess! You can talk with your friends and laugh instead of being yelled at by the teacher when you do that in class. In recess, we also have the playground and the blacktop area, and it’s second through fourth grade kids at the same time, and we’re all about the same age and we play together a lot.
M9: Yes, mine is 30 to 45 minutes because most times we get extra recess because we have extra time or because we sit outside for lunch and we can play early once we finish eating. Sometimes they just give us extra recess because it’s a nice day. Oh yeah, I really like recess. We play our favorite game and beat the second graders at it. I love recess. I get so sweaty from playing so much.
11. Did any of your teachers implement any behavior-tracking systems in your classroom (i.e. stop light cards from green to red, clothespins moved along a scale when behavior declined, etc.)? If so, did you like having these systems in place? Do you think they were beneficial overall or not?
F20: We had red/yellow/green cards. I liked this system because I didn’t get in trouble, but I know other kids didn’t like it. It made you accountable for your actions, and knowing the entire class would see if you had a red card made me want to be better. I only had a yellow card one time, and it was because a classmate talked to me in line. I remember crying when I got home because I felt so bad. I definitely think it helped me learn my manners and how to behave in a room full of people.
F18-1: Yes. We colored smiley faces, we pulled hats or flags, and we had a ‘Bee-Bucks’ currency system that we would get as a reward for good behavior. I really liked the ‘Bee-Bucks’ system. We got to trade them in for prizes at the end of each week or so.
F18-2: Yes, in kindergarten, we had colored cards that we would switch throughout the day depending on our behavior. In second grade, we had a whole sheet with printed apples on it, and you would lose an apple any time you got in trouble. I remember I only colored two apples during the whole year, and I cried both times when it happened. I think the behavior systems like that are part of the reason I’m kind of a perfectionist. They also boosted my self-esteem because I was always a really well-behaved child.
F15-1: We had five fake dollars every week, and each time we behaved badly, we would lose one. With the dollars you had left, you could use them to buy candy from the classroom treasure chest. I guess it helped. But mostly just as incentive, but it didn’t mean we paid attention.
M12: We only had one of those in kindergarten. We had cards, and if we were bad, we would change the cards. It was red, yellow, and green. All I really remember about it was that only one person had to go to the principal in kindergarten, and I only had to pull a card once. It was helpful to have it, and I think it was helpful for the teacher, too. It made the classroom a better environment. I do not wish I had a similar system in the classroom.
F10: For ours, if we don’t pick up our stuff or if we don’t behave, period, then we get a check on my teacher’s clipboard. One check is a warning, two checks is five minutes out of recess, three checks means ten minutes out of recess, and four checks means you go out of the classroom, to the principal, and you don’t go to recess. And if we’re not behaving or out of uniform, we can get demerits and get written up. I don’t ever have to deal with it because I behave and I wear my uniform, so I really don’t know if it’s helpful. But I do think it does give the kids who don’t behave correctly or who don’t wear the uniform right a heads up that they should start behaving better, and our teacher has definitely cracked down on us now, so five demerits means in-school suspension, ten demerits means you’re expelled.
F8: We had cards, and you start on green, then orange is first warning, white is second warning, blue is third warning, yellow is not good, and then red is bad and you can get a demerit. And green through white is a smiley face in your agenda, and you get notes in your agenda instead if you have blue or below. We also have five minute breaks so you have to get your supplies out, and if you don’t, then you get your card moved. I like having it because the people who don’t listen do a little bit better every single day, so I think it helps them.
M9: We used to have one of those last year. We had clips and you start on the middle clip. There are three clips. If you got the top clip at the end of the day, then you could get something from the treasure box. And if you weren’t good, then you just didn’t get anything from the treasure box, and sometimes you would even sit out of recess the next day. I liked it because I was always good and got stuff out of the treasure chest.
12. What is one thing that you wish more teachers would do in their classrooms? This can be related to any aspect of teaching or elementary school as a whole.
F20: I wish more teachers would have more ‘social time’ or ‘free time’ especially in Pre-K through 3rd grade. You could use this time to research stuff you were interested in, talk to classmates, catch up on homework, play a puzzle/board game, etc. I remember being in class from 8am to 4pm, and now that I am in college, I don’t know how I would do that again. I think giving kids a break to do whatever they want (within the context of education-base and constructive activities) makes them pay attention more later in the day. If I had more time in school to do puzzles, research or read about things, talk to my friends and form connections with them, etc., I think I would have had a different outlook on my education.
F18-1: I’m not sure.
F18-2: I wish teachers would talk slower when students are trying to take notes.
F15-1: I don’t know.
M12: There’s not really anything I want to change. My teachers are pretty much perfect.
F10: I wish there were more girls in my class.
F8: I want them to be a little bit more strict about the uniform policy because some people just wear leggings or jeggings to school, and we’re supposed to wear regular jeans, but those people don’t even get in trouble a lot of times. So I wish they were more strict about us following the uniform policy.
M9: Two years ago, every Friday, you could get a churro and ice cream, and they stopped that last year because they wanted us to have more healthy food, and I wish that we could have those desserts again. They also used to have foot-long hot dogs and really good chicken tenders, and they got rid of those, and so I also want those back. It’s good to have healthier options, but it’s also good to have some sugar sometimes. You need something to be good food and just at least one type of sweet every week. Also, I really wish we still had nap time because after recess, we go back to our class, and sometimes when we finish our work, we have nap time. And it helps me work better when I’m rested more.