The nostalgia bug bites me every time I walk into my kids' elementary school to drop something off or volunteer. The smiles on the kids' faces are the same but so many other things have changed since I was in school. As my kids progress through the ranks, I see more and more ways school has changed.

This isn't the first time I've written about how much the school experience has changed over the years. In the past I've covered: Combatitive Sports gym class, naked swimming classes, cool field trips and high school smoking patios.

Here are some more gems I would guess won't be making it back through school administration building anytime soon...

The Principal's Paddle - When I was in first-grade, our school principal was an ogre and had a deadly-looking paddle hanging on his wall. It was about a foot-and-a-half long, at least an inch thick and had a sculpted handle! It even had drill-holes through it to cut down on wind resistance!

The implication was that he wasn't afraid to use the dreaded paddle. We all heard about "Corporal Punishment" in schools during this time but I never knew of anyone who "got the paddle." Maybe it was just a scare-fest but the older kids always swore they knew of "some sixth-grader" that got it. Either way, I wasn't taking chances. I don't know what the deterrent is for my kids today but I don't think their principal is packing a lethal paddle.

Parent/Teacher relationships - I think it was a lot easier for teachers when I was in school. My parents barely knew who my teacher was and only communicated with them at conferences or at a rare school function. The teachers, to our parents, were probably faceless entities that were to be blindly trusted (even over their own kids). Now, e-mails and communications are wide-open - to the point where I wonder how the teachers keep up dealing with the parents!

School Projects - Is it me or has the parental involvement needed for kids' school projects skyrocketed? Not just with time, but with cost. I know school budgets are in the dumps but I always feel like I'm forking over more and more money and time each year! I can't remember going to my mom when I was little with a list of supplies and costs.

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