41: Karen's School

[Kylie90210]

Please discuss this book here.

[sweetvalleygirl99]

Loved the book and the play school that Karen and Hannie organized for the kids.

[sweetvalleygirl99]

It ended with Karen and Hannie continuing to do the school, but being a lot more relaxed and laid-back, especially with Emily and Sari who did nothing but color and play My Little Pony ;D.

[annieb]

This is the first book I read and one of my favorites.

[supprazz]

I really thought I would enjoy this book, but I thought she was being such a brat and so stupid the whole time! She was so mean to Mr. Howard who was a cutie, thank you Nancy!!! And she was so mean and strict to the kids, even telling them not to colour the tree red. I think after I read Karen's School and Baby Sitter, I stopped buying the series, cause I was growing up and could relate to BSC more and more

[anzuhana]

I thought that Karen was a brat to Mr. Howard and that she was strict to her class. At least, at the end of the book, she wasn't a brat to the teacher and not such a strict teacher.

[virgoscorpio]

Karen's school reminded me of the many schools that my sister and I would put on. Also, I was once a student teacher (in high school). During the same time I taught, a student teacher from out of university was also teaching. I basically did the same things as her and was better liked by the students

[supprazz]

I'm so confused by what you wrote. What same things and to whom if you were already a teacher and not a student?

[virgoscorpio]

Hmm let me explain better...

In high school I was a student teacher (so a high school student who taught Grade 5. It was through a Cooperative Education course). At the same time, there was a student teacher (from teacher's college) teaching the same class.

We were teaching the same courses. We would just take turns. I was better liked by the students and their teacher. I felt bad for the other (college level) student teacher because I could tell it bothered her to have someone younger do better than her.

[supprazz]

Oh okay, now I get it. I re-read what you initially wrote as well and it makes sense. Too bad the other student teacher was insecure, but kids love it when someone younger knows how to interact with them.

[virgoscorpio]

Agree. And I am a guy, so a senior high school student would have that affect on girls (i.e. Stacey's Big Crush).

[supprazz]

For sure!

[virgoscorpio]

I was a bit surprised that Mr. Howard was married. I assumed that he was just fresh out of college and into teacher's college, so he would be in his early 20s. Not that that is too young to get married... but he just looked young in the pictures. I always think of his one crooked tooth that Karen doesn't forget to mention.

I wonder how Miss Colman thought if her bit of time off from teaching. Marking books while Mr. Howard was teaching means more time with her new hubby

edited to add: This cover is another example of kids looking like midgets. I'm assuming that's Callie on the cover. She looks like a mini Marie Osmond.

[supprazz]

awww I know, she was such a cute kid and then disappeared

That's funny about Ms. Colman taking off

In those days peope married quickly so it didn't seem strange at the time though now it does to me cause I'm a bit older than what his age might have been.

I didn't like Karen's personality at all in this book or Karen's Baby Sitter, I thought she was a big brat. I expected a better plot and she could have done so many cute and creative things in her "school"

[scrounge]

She could have done cute and creative things, but I think it's very common for kids to resort to bossing other kids around and not being flexible when they haven't yet learned to be effective leaders. Also, I don't think Karen adapts to change very well sometimes (like in the Super Special where she acted so bored because Kristy didn't go to camp with her) so trying to be really rigid with the kids might have been a reaction to having a new teacher and having to adapt to a new style. Also, reading about people who make mistakes and then make things better is a good lesson for kids.

My favorite part of this book was Nancy's crush on Mr. Howard.