catching up in keeping it postive

I have a facebook friend whom I've known since he was 8 years old. That seems weird, but he was in my elementary school classroom then - 8 and 9 years old.

We seemed to have bonded very well as I remember a LOT of what he'd gone through over the years... and he remembered how I taught and how it affected/influenced him over the years.

Although I don't have too many people in my life (face to face) currently, it's nice to know that I did affect some people's lives... and they can take what I taught them and use it for years to come.

One shared experience was from when he was 9 years old and since, according to his age, he SHOULD have been in 4th grade, he was given a 4th grade math exam - standardized, state wide testing. Not only had he NOT studied 4th grade math, and was GOOD at 2nd grade math - what he was studying - but the test created such fear and anxiety in this sweet, learning disabled kid - that he had a psychotic break!!! To this day, he has severe blockage in learning and being tested in math. And yes, he feels that the trauma of that day has affected him till now.

Ah, the educational system... and how it can go wrong.