# How well do  you remember first grade?



## redrock

I have a fifteen-year-old remembering specific incidents that happened to her in first grade, specific conversations that she had and specific events. I can remember things that happened to me eight years ago as an adult, but how realistic is it that a younger person would? Is a seven-year-old's powers of retaining memories the same as an adult?


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## aj47

I remember 1st grade and I'm 49.

Amongst the things I remember is that our reading group was the Bluebirds. (we got to name our own groups) The Bluebirds were the best readers.  Also, "l" was  the "little old lady" who went "la-la-la-la"   "m" was her sewing machine that went "mmm, mmm".  I couldn't really see the overhead projector but when we got to "h" I did see the "hanger" on the screen but not on the actual overhead so i couldn't write the "h" by it--Mrs. Lambert had to.  Etc.  My favorite memory was Mrs. Lambert asking me to give wrong answers when we did math aloud to see how many people could be tricked because I was *really* good at math in first grade and the class knew it.


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## Kevin

Most of it? nothing. Specific events? yes, clearly.


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## C.M. Aaron

Different people's memories work different ways. There is both short term and long term memory and depending on how a person's memory has been stimulated, a person will tend to put information into one or the other. A person who enjoys knowing things and being able to recall information will naturally stimulate and train their long term memory. People who do not enjoy having knowledge and who are used to looking things up or asking someone else for the answer will most likely put most of their information into short term memory. So depending on your character's attitude toward knowledge, they may or may not have strong memories of what happened to them many years ago.


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## Sunny

I clearly remember first grade. I clearly remember kindergarten. I can remember how I used to love the song "_Puff the magic dragon"_ and I would sit in the listening center and listen to it every time we had play time. I remember doing all of my fingerpainting, and the teacher sitting with me to give extra help with my counting. I remember sitting in our circles for reading time around the teacher. I remember my friends playing with my hair. I remember having nap time after snack time, and not wanting to sleep. I also remember peeing my pants by mistake and having to wear the long white painters jackets to cover up! Lol. 

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you anymore. ;0)


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## Gardening Girl

Oh I remember so much about it.  We didn’t have a grade system then like in the US - I grew up in the UK but I’m assuming you mean first year of school (we called it infants).  I remember the school and many of the children in my class.  I’m still in contact with a couple of them (40 years later).  I remember the school had an outdoor swimming pool.  It was freezing most of the time as it was unheated but most schools at that time didn’t have one so it was pretty special.  I learned to swim in that pool.  It was surrounded by massive (they seemed massive then), conifer trees – I think they kept the wind out a bit and sheltered it.  I remember many of my teachers, many of them were lovely.  I remember classes.  I do have specific memories.  I remember break time too and being outside with the beautiful grounds the school was set in and some huge old oak trees.  So yes, you can easily remember stuff from age 5.  I can recall a few details from age 3.  Everyone is different though I think.   Clearly these good memories stayed with me.  I have some bad memories which are more recent and which I’ve mostly forgotten (or buried).  Oddly enough for me, it’s the bit between age 8-13 that is more of a blur to me.  I do remember playschool (kindergarten) too.  Many good memories!


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## SeverinR

First grade?

I remember the hightlights;
Talking to a cute girl...feeling my shoulder pop out when the teacher jerked me from my desk for talking to the girl, standing in the hall talking to the same girl after we were put out in the hall for talking. (Shoulder popped back in almost right away, but was sore for a few days.)

I remember some faces, the newness of school(1st grade was 1st time in school).

Not much else, but I am 46 yrs old.


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## Vedil

I don't have too many deep memories of 1st grade or elementary for that matter. I remember certain people only because I still talk to them today but that's about it.


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## philistine

Twenty-two here, and I have somewhat detailed memories from before I was two (first grade, at least from what I can guess in the UK, is age five?). I'm certainly the exception though, as many seem to remember age three or four at the earliest.


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## The Backward OX

redrock said:


> I have a fifteen-year-old remembering specific incidents that happened to her in first grade, specific conversations that she had and specific events. I can remember things that happened to me eight years ago as an adult, but how realistic is it that a younger person would? Is a seven-year-old's powers of retaining memories the same as an adult?


There’s something seriously wrong with the implication in the highlighted sentence. I can’t explain it, but it doesn’t make sense.

Anyway, it’s your story. Give the kid any level of recall you want.


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## Rustgold

It also partly comes down to when & how the brain develops.  Just like children may learn to start talking (proper talk) or stop bed wetting at different ages; when a child will be able to store information in long term memory also changes between individuals.  Then you have recall abilities, and lets not forget that a memory may become harder to recall over time if the person doesn't think about it.  To make it more complex, recalled memories may have errors in it, and memories may even be altered in the process of its recall.
First memories can be anything from 2-3 to 10-11.  Oh, did I forget to tell you that's even assuming that the person is normal, and had never suffered any type of brain disturbance.  So many variables.

Now that I've turned everything to mud, I'll quote a simple answer.




The Backward OX said:


> Anyway, it’s your story. Give the kid any level of recall you want.


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## The Backward OX

C.M. Aaron said:


> Different people's memories work different ways. There is both short term and long term memory and depending on how a person's memory has been stimulated, a person will tend to put information into one or the other. A person who enjoys knowing things and being able to recall information will naturally stimulate and train their long term memory. People who do not enjoy having knowledge and who are used to looking things up or asking someone else for the answer will most likely put most of their information into short term memory.





Rustgold said:


> when a child *will be able* to store information in long term memory also changes between individuals. .


Would either of you good people be able to provide your source for this?


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## Bloggsworth

Can we British have a translation please? First grade =    years old.


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## philistine

Bloggsworth said:


> Can we British have a translation please? First grade =    years old.



I think it's anywhere from the age of three to four, if my use of Simpsons reverse grading is correct. Which I believe it be so.


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## Kevin

in the U.S. it's  1. daycare- birth to 3
                     2. preschool- 3 to 4
                     3. kindergarden- 4 to 5
                     4. first grade thru twelvth- 5/6 to 17/18 ( depending on what month you  were born, as the school year starts in september)

                 So, 1st would be 5 and 6 year olds, with the majority being 6 years old.


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## Rustgold

The Backward OX said:


> Would either of you good people be able to provide your source for this?



Too much time waste for me.


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## Dramatism

I remember the end of one day in first grade.  In order to leave the classroom, we had to listen for our phone numbers which our teacher recited.  I left close to last because I thought I never heard mine.  I knew my phone number!  Turns out that she said mine, but pronounced the zero's like zero's, verses 'o's' like my mom taught me.  Funny huh?


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## SeverinR

Kevin said:


> in the U.S. it's 1. daycare- birth to 3
> 2. preschool- 3 to 4
> 3. kindergarden- 4 to 5
> 4. first grade thru twelvth- 5/6 to 17/18 ( depending on what month you were born, as the school year starts in september)
> 
> So, 1st would be 5 and 6 year olds, with the majority being 6 years old.


I was 6. Wow, I missed alot of years of schooling by skipping pre, and kindergsarden. 
I was ready with school work, but I think I was behind in socialization in first grade.


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## Foxee

I have a kindergartener, going by that a first-grader here would be 6-7 years old.

I remember bits of fourth grade clearly including the teacher's name, the lunchroom, the desks, what the little cot was like where you could lay down if you felt sick, and that I didn't like first grade as much as kindergarten because it wasn't as much fun. I remember more of kindergarten probably because I enjoyed it (and had my first crush *sigh!*) but still bits and pieces.


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