Free in my creativity

When I was 13 my school started something called ”free subject” which all students were to have once a week. Free might’ve been the wrong word to use, as they weren’t all that free and we had of course no choice but to attend to the classes.

The whole idea was to list a number of strange and not very useful subjects to us students. We were then to choose the class we found most interesting. The obscure subjects were all to do with our teachers spare time hobbies, and hence varied from music to hunting and needlework.

When I was 13 I wasn’t exactly a nice, quiet student and there were only one teacher in my whole school who liked me. I guess the teachers saw their chance to put me in place; so when I chose to do English literature they placed me in a class where they thought us to be football referees. Seeing I hate football I guess the joke was on me.

The next semester I chose music. They placed me in a class doing feathered hooks for fly fishing. The bastards.

But this time I could make something out of the situation. I bought some earring hooks which I added feathers too (using the technique they taught us for those damn fishing flies of course), and started to make these fantastic earrings that all my friends wanted. The fly fishing teacher got really angry and told me I had no right to sit in class and make earrings. I couldn’t understand why then – and I still can’t today. I took something increadably boring and made it fun. I didn't hurt anyone, I didn't interupt class. And more importantly – I stood up to my bullying teachers!

I really hope schools are different and more professional today. That they encourage kids to be creative and to use their imagination. After all, it’s my creativity and imagination that has helped me throughout life – not German grammar or multiplication tables.