Lunch Laughs

 COVID lunch time is much different than B.C. (before COVID) time. First of all, there are only eleven students that stay in the classroom with me to eat - the other half are sent to another room to ensure social distancing while eating. On first glance, the thought of having only eleven students to monitor while eating sounds like it would be a dream come true. But just remember to take into account that they are eight and nine year olds and having their mask off, eating their lunch, and finally having some social time during the day brings out the loud in them. And the silly. 

Most days I just listen in as they talk back and forth and create new little games to play together.  Occasionally I have to jump in and put a stop if they go off the rails. 

I'm typically sitting at my desk, checking email and eating my own lunch while I also supervise the little lunchers. Conversations run the gamut every day so for your reading enjoyment I thought I'd share the most amusing. 

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As one little darling ate her sandwich, she asked the class, "What is your pet peeve?"  Since that term isn't known by many third graders, immediately one boy announced, "Dog!" followed up by "Duck.... but I've never seen one pee!"  Cue the riotous laughter at someone saying, "pee" and we were off!  

"What is a pet peeve anyway?",  a curious boy eating carrots asked. 

"Well a pet peeve is something that really bugs you and bothers you.  Like, my pet peeve is people who are late," explained the little girl.  Then she rolled her eyes for effect.  A girl after my own heart, this one. 

Once the term was explained, the room exploded with little voices sharing their pet peeve, which only made me think of how one of my pet peeves is students shouting out and talking over each other. 

Finally, as always happens, one of the cuties noticed me and called over the others, "Mrs. Jeppson, what is your pet peeve?"  

And before I could even reply, a voice came out of nowhere and exclaimed, "US!" 

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Another day, another lunch and on this particular day, the little ones began saying, "Everybody look at (student name)."*  At which point ten students looked at the named student.  All students played along, even eating their lunch very demonstratively or making a silly face when being looked at.  I have no explanation for this game and in over twenty years of teaching, this is a new one that doesn't really seem to have much fun value, but that didn't seem to stop them.  And as usual, after several minutes, they included me in their game.  "Everybody look at Mrs. Jeppson."  Eleven little heads turned my way and they looked at me.  

"What's so unusual about this?" I asked them.  "You look at me all day!  I would think you'd surely want to look at someone else."  

*Note:  no students were harmed in this game.  It wasn't mean-spirited in any way

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One lunch was a back and forth about what would you do if [insert any item] didn't exist in the world.  They began with What would you do if ice cream didn't exist?  It was fun to listen to their creativity and hear the items they were choosing.  Naturally I had to throw in my two cents by asking them What would you do if coffee didn't exist?  

"Bleck!" I heard from several students.  "Coffee - yuck!"

"The items are supposed to be something good,"  clarified one little for me. 

My favorite reply was from one little Einstein when the question What would you do if pizza didn't exist? was posed.  

"I'd invent it!"  

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Last Friday's conversation made me really laugh.  As they were all eating, one little boy suddenly stood up and announced, "Hello, 911.  I have an emergency...... there isn't any mustard on my sandwich!"

 
Not to be outdone, suddenly five other students had an emergency and began announcing in turn, "Hello, 911.  I have an emergency."  And then they would input their own personal lunch emergency.   Soon it was a full blown game with one student after another mimicking a 911 operator.  

The funniest part was later that afternoon, a boy emerged from the bathroom and announced loudly to the entire class, "911 emergency!  We are out of paper towels in the boys bathroom!"

911 indeed.

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Sometimes even the little kiddies get tired of inventing, explaining, talking and playing games during lunch so inevitably at least once during the lunch time, a student will simply yell out, "Quiet Game!" and we all know what that means.  Then they make a game of trying to be quiet for a few minutes. 

 No easy feat.  

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He Said, She Said

 Last Friday was a long time coming.  Some weeks are definitely longer than others.  Or so it seems. When lunch time finally rolled around, I was more than ready for a break from teaching about capacity, mass, and elapsed time. I'm sure the third graders were feeling the same.   

Lunch arrived, delivered to a COVID approved table outside our doorway in labeled, brown boxes. As directed, the students queued up, automatically three feet apart awaiting me handing them their box of lunch while double-checking that they indeed ordered lunch that morning.  One chocolate milk or two?  Nachos or pancakes? Half of the cuties headed to the Media Center to eat, making sure to tell me they would see me soon.  Goodie!  The other half washed their hands and proceeded to open their brown box lunch and dig in.  

As I stood by the microwave supervising the students who brought their own lunch, a little boy approached me.  

"Can I have a pancake?" I heard him ask as I reminded one little luncher that tin foil definitely does not go in a microwave.  I looked down at him.  I knew for a fact that I had already handed out all the pre-ordered little brown lunch boxes from the hallway table.  There was not another pancake box.  

So, I immediately launched into my diatribe about somebody taking a lunch that they didn't order and now someone was without a lunch.  I reprimanded them on making sure and ordering if they wanted lunch and not taking a lunch if they had not, in fact, raised their little hand when I entered lunch numbers in the computer every morning. *Side note:  we have had this lunch ordering problem happen before.

My soliloquy continued and I made sure to make eye contact with the little ones as they sporked pancakes quickly into their mouths and held tightly to their chocolate milk cartons, no doubt afraid I might come snatch a pancake from them.  

Finally, I wrapped up the monologue all the while thinking of how I might manage to acquire an extra pancake box from someone for the starving little one.  I looked down at him, hoping he knew how seriously I was taking this matter. His eyes were wide (no doubt from the lunch admonishment I had just delivered). He moved his mask away from his mouth so I could see his mouth.

"I said Band-aid," said the little boy and I could clearly hear him this time. 

With that, I bent over, laughing.  I pounded the countertop for extra effect. He joined in although I'm not sure he was thinking any of this was funny.   

"Band-aid?" I laughed.  "Oh my gosh, boys and girls.  I'm sorry.  I thought he asked for a pancake and he was actually asking for a Band-aid."  I continued laughing and several others joined in.  I reached in the cabinet, grabbed a Band-aid and asked the little boy if he would like syrup with it.  That elicited a chuckle from him, which is good, because I'm sure he thought I was absolutely cuckoo at this point.  I'm sure several students were saying to themselves that they were never going to order lunch again to avoid this whole scenario playing out again.

We resumed lunch, all was well with the world.  

Later that afternoon, a student asked for a Band-aid (it's elementary school - it's perfectly normal to give out a lot of Band-aids every day).  

"Did you mean 'pancake'?" I replied.  "You want a pancake?"  

Half the room erupted in laughter - the other half had missed the whole show as they were eating in the Media Center.  Guess you had to be there. 

"From now on," I declared, "Band-aids are known as pancakes in this classroom."

And like all good little third graders, they accepted this without question. 

My only worry  question is: How many other things have I misunderstood due to masks?  

 

It's Lunch Time!

First, let me paint a picture of what lunch looks like in a third grade classroom during COVID.  Twelve students stay in the classroom to eat their lunch at their desk, and the other eleven go to the Media Center to eat.  All of this is needed to keep the little ones six feet apart when they take off their masks and eat their lunch. I'm in charge of the classroom lunchers dispersed throughout our room as they eat and chat.  I'll be honest with you... listening every day to eight and nine year olds having lunch conversations runs the gamut from funny to gross and back again. Sometimes at warp speed.

Although I'm in the room to monitor lunch (and typically sitting 

at my desk checking email or grading papers) I feel my main job is to act as the referee.  I call out reminders of the lunch rules, alert them of time remaining, and also, at times, throw a flag on the play and stop particular conversations from veering off the rails.                                                                                         

Case in point: today's lunch conversation began with everyone declaring their idea of the "grossest food ever".  Sushi and several different vegetables were named and agreed on,  but soon they had moved on to disgusting combinations of food items and when I heard the words "bird poop", I called it and declared, "New Topic!" A familiar change to "reasons younger siblings are so annoying"  took hold with each student trying to top the other with lively stories of their siblings. Ah, to be a fly on the wall in some homes!   

After a bit, I noticed that they were all calling out endings to the sentence starter: "My town is called..."  For example, one little cutie says, "My town is called ice cream because I like ice cream."   Another played along with, "My town is called I have the most annoying brother in the world."  Still another declared, "My town is called supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"  You get the gist.  Most were really just nonsensical words put together that made everyone laugh. The game continued and seemed to be getting louder and sillier with each new participant.  Eventually, one boy jumped to his feet, and waving his arms announced, "My town is called I'm the best at sports and I am funny and great!"  Well.... kudos on the self confidence little guy.  However, we had five minutes left for lunch and I was tiring of their little game so I stood up, turned on my microphone, and declared, "My town is called time to clean up in five minutes and make sure you wash your desk off with an antibacterial wipe and put a book on your desk for IDR." I sat down to a silent room. "And my town can go outside early if they get ready!" 

Someone shouted out, "We've been roasted!"  The room erupted in laughter as the students began cleaning up. Touché little friends - two can play that silly game!  

For more fun, read an earlier post on how teachers are like stand-up comedians:  Two Juice Box Minimum

 

It's Time For Me To Fly

 During COVID, it's so different to be teaching in a classroom.  The students are sitting at desks, socially distanced, wearing masks all day.  In pre-COVID classrooms, students would be sitting at table groups where they can chat, share, and work together throughout the day.  We now make sure kids are at least 3 feet apart, which goes against everything we usually do by grouping kids and helping them learn to work cooperatively.  But - here we are. It's a new challenge for sure.  My classroom consists of neat rows of desks and not much else. Hello 1950.  We've only been back two weeks and it's becoming a little more natural to be sitting apart all day, wearing masks, washing hands and using hand sanitizer throughout the day. I'm even finding that I need to remind students less and less to "pull your mask up over your nose" or "wash your hands".  

It can be a long day without the many social interactions we are used to having in daily learning. Partner work.  Table/group work.  Moving around the classroom freely. Yesterday seemed particularly long so I decided I'd spend some time reading from our current read aloud book and allow the students to just have time to relax, listen, draw and not have to "do anything".   

As I read aloud from the book, using inflection and raising and lowering my voice to dramatically read, I also walked in between all the desks.  Up and down the rows I walked.  Reading.  Walking.  Reading. Walking.   As I walked by one student I couldn't help but notice he had a huge paper airplane sitting on top of the desk.  I paused, looking at his airplane. It was large, consisting of at least three pieces of paper folded expertly.  He looked back at me, holding my gaze until I moved on.   Reading. Walking.  Reading Walking.  Around the room I went.

As I circled back around again by aforementioned student's desk, I noticed now he had TWO large paper airplanes sitting on his desk.  Now, I'll be honest.  Students with paper airplanes on their desk is not something I usually allow, but I'll admit I was intrigued.  It was bold.  It was random. Where were they coming from I wondered?  I made eye contact with the student who nodded towards the airplanes.  

Another lap or two around the classroom and I was wondering what I would see next time I passed this student's desk.  And there it was!  A third, smaller airplane had appeared on his desk lined up with the other two much larger paper airplanes. What in the world?  Was he making them as I walked around? Had he made them before?  Once again, he looked at me when he noticed me looking towards his airplane desk runway.  And this time he kind of raised his eyebrows and I could see his eyes sparkling from the huge smile hidden behind his mask. My eyes twinkled back at him from the huge smile hidden behind my mask.  

 After several more minutes of reading, I headed over for one final drive-by of the student's desk, curiosity getting the best of me and truly wanting to see what I would find next.  As I closed the book and dramatically wrapped up the final sentence in the chapter, I looked down at his desk and the paper airplanes were gone! Nothing was on his desktop. They had disappeared as quickly and as mysteriously as they had appeared. It was like the "Bermuda Triangle Desk".

The student held my gaze as I squatted down by his desk to look inside where he had no doubt stashed the airplanes.  Nothing! A neatly organized desk with no trace of an airplane.

Suddenly, the hectic last minutes of the day had arrived and students began gathering things, packing up, and cleaning up. The "game" was over and not one word had been exchanged. I never did ask the boy about the paper airplanes and I didn't see a trace of them again.   

I think I'll just take this as a good sign that, as the title of this blog suggest, it soon will be time for me to say goodbye and 'fly'. 

It's The Final Countdown

 If there is one thing that is certain, it's that things change.  School is always a place of constant change for a teacher, so I'd like to say that we are (in general) a group of people that can:

1.  Accept change (constantly and suddenly)

2.  Adapt and thrive with change (thanks to teacher friends)

3. Learn to be in a constant state of change (try it - it's fun! Really!)

4. Make it look like we didn't change anything but simply "moved forward" smoothly and without missing a beat  (did I mention teachers are amazing?)

So, when COVID hit a year ago, teachers did what they always do.... adapted to change.  We taught remotely, we learned ten million new things about using technology, often staying up late at night to figure things out or phone a friend to help (often through tears).  We learned to reach out to kids virtually (the first time ever for me) and figured out ZOOM and how to conference with parents via video.  We perfected, "Your mic isn't on" and "Turn your mic off", embedded fun online breaks for kids, and took time to check-in with each student on how they were dealing with the "new" normal.  We moved from remote, to hybrid, and finally, just recently to all day in-person.  We created curriculum and detailed schedules for hybrid, remote, and kept in contact with students quarantined to keep them involved in the classroom learning. We were barely one step ahead of everything going on - all the while making sure our own families were safe and healthy.  It has been exhausting to say the least. 

The biggest change of my life is coming up this year.   I've decided, after twenty-five years to retire.  I've moved my plans up a bit, but I feel the time is right.  I'm ready.  Will I miss the kids?  YES.  Will I miss my teacher friends?  A lot.  Will I miss the daily community of a classroom?  For sure.  Will I miss the learning (for both me and the kids)? Without a doubt.  Will I miss seeing kids learn and discover new things every day? Yeah... it's amazing.   

I'm lucky to have had a great teaching career in a wonderful district.  I've met so many people over the years who have inspired me, helped me, taught me, collaborated with me,  and befriended me.  I have gotten to know hundreds of kids, each unique in their own way that have impacted me in ways I can't begin to explain. 

My plan is to revive my blog for the final fifty days of my career to share my classroom stories.  I want to give to you a window into the fun and inspirational days of a teacher.  If you're new to my blog, check out my earlier posts for some perspective.   

Start this journey with me:   The Final Countdown

#fiftydays

Mistaken Identity

I had recess duty Friday, which just so happened to be a beautiful day out, weather wise. So even though I was completely exhausted from this second week of school, which

included one late night for Curriculum Night, it felt good to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. As an added bonus, recess duty would also allow me to get some extra steps in and therefore, cut out some later exercise.  #fridaywinning

As I scanned the monkey bars, soccer field, basketball court, and swings, which were all swarming with kids at this point, a little boy approached me.  

"Hi, Mrs. Jeppson," he casually said as he squinted up at me through his glasses.   "Mrs. Alt told me that I should tell you if Freddy* is bothering me.  He's always bothering me." 

"OK.  Is he bothering you now?" I asked. 

"I don't know where he is.  Do you know where he is?" he said looking around.  

"Nope."   I waved my arms out dramatically from left to right.  "He could be anywhere."

"Well, if you see him," he directed, "make sure and tell him that he can't bother me."

"Will do!" I assured him.  After all, I am the symbol of authority on the playground. 

Happy that his problem was resolved, he ran off to play.  Meanwhile, I looked around to pinpoint my students, and any others, to make sure they were not alone.  I saw a group of students digging (or as they call it mining) in the dirt with some sticks, students racing around playing "Infection" (or as we call it tag), and some girls practicing cartwheels in the grass. Several were shouting at me from the monkey bars.  "Watch me!" they exclaimed.    So I did. 

The boy arrived again.  "Have you seen Freddy yet?" he asked. 

"Nope," I replied.  "Have you?"

"Nope," he answered.  "But don't forget to talk to him."  

"Maybe he's on the field," I suggested.  And off he ran.  I couldn't quite figure out why he was looking for this kid in the first place.  My guess is he wanted to let him know that I was going to be talking to him. 

As I walked around checking in with students and watching them play, I noticed Freddy.  I strolled over to him as he sat with a couple of his friends.  

"Hey guys," I said casually.  They were arguing about what to do next.  I maneuvered Freddy a bit away from the others and their conversation.  "[insert student name] told me you have been bothering him on the playground.  Please make sure you're not bothering him, ok?" 

"I'm not bothering him.  I don't even play with him," he countered, looking truthful and a bit bewildered.

"Well, if you are, stop," I said.  "I'm watching you."  I smiled and gestured with the fingers to my eyes and then his eyes and he smiled too as he went back to his friends.

With only a few minutes left, I took some deep breaths and walked around to soak up some final rays of sunshine before returning to the classroom.  Suddenly, the student approached again, completely out of breath.  He grabbed my arm.  "Freddy isn't at school today!" he told me, laughing.  "He's not even here."

"But I just talked to him," I said. "He's right over there!"  I pointed. 

"No!  That's Freddy B.  I was talking about Freddy M.!"   We exchanged looks, eyes wide and both laughed at my error. 

"Oh well," I said just as the bell rang and the student walked beside me, "it probably didn't hurt to remind the wrong Freddy not to bother people."  

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Waiting To Exhale

It always sneaks up on me fast.  One minute I'm enjoying mornings reading the paper on my deck, afternoons riding my bike along nature trails, and evenings with no specific bed time. No alarm. No schedule. Days that begin without a plan and end with new adventures, or some days, nothing.  Lost in a book or simply the beauty of days on end to relax and rejuvenate.  Summer always makes me feel like a kid again. 

Speaking of kids, I'm back to school and have officially survived the first week back. If you are a teacher, you know what I'm talking about here.  You know if you can make it that first week and are still standing (and able to talk) by the end of that first week, you're good to go.  I tell non-teacher friends that starting each new school year is like starting a new job every year. (Side note:  I also say school is a bit like a prison sentence with my schedule controlled by ringing bells, but that's another story and another blog).  This year I have twenty-four little adorable "employees".  

And so it began last Tuesday. I had looked at their school photos to try and match the face to their name for our first day together. I always figure they know my name, so I should do my best to try and get to know their names so I can greet them on day 1.  Inevitably, there always seems to be at least one or two that I mess up, but hey, kids are the most forgiving beings on the planet. When I mess up, they laugh along when I laugh at myself. Everybody makes mistakes.  There is a wonderful feeling of excitement mixed with nervousness throughout the school the first day. 

As with any new employee, the first order of business is to provide orientation. The students need to know our schedule, rules, and procedures of our company classroom.  As their new boss teacher, I have to establish myself as their leader and gain their trust and confidence.  This isn't an easy task.  Prior to that first minute of the first day, I've been preparing.   I've spent hours in professional development.  I've laminated and copied.  I've organized and planned with my team. I am r-e-a-d-y. Send me in coach!

By the end of the day Tuesday, I knew all the names of my new little cuties.

By Wednesday, I was remembering what it feels like to stand on your feet for seven hours a day and the importance of planning bathroom breaks.

By Thursday, I was checking my calendar because it sure felt like it should already be a Friday.  

By Friday, I had adjusted to early morning wake-ups again (snooze button).  I had found clothes in my closet that have not seen the light of day for a few months (goodbye yoga pants and flip-flops). I had stuck to my promise to make and bring a healthy lunch every day (no more going out to lunch with friends for a while).   

And by Friday, at the end of the day, I felt excited and optimistic for a great year ahead. My new group of employees look very promising! You can bet that I (like every other teacher on the planet) am enjoying this weekend.

After all, summer will return again.  June is in sight.  You just need binoculars right now to see it.

To all teachers everywhere:  Have a great year!

Grand Opening Soon

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

Here's how I'm feeling tonight..... (if you're a teacher, I'm sure you can relate)

nervoushappyexcitedenergizedsadprepareddevotedlovingfreshstrongopencheerful
thrilledappreciativejoyfulsweetsupportivejumpyupbeatpeacefulinspiredfriendlyplayful
optimisticexhilaratedcreativeenthusiasticnervousfocusedhopefulidealisticmagicalscared
wonderfulcourageousreceptiveinterestedanimatedsunnyconfidentdynamicanxious

I wonder if there is a word for that.

  

 Have a great year teacher friends!  

I'll Take Door #2

Teachers in my school district returned to school two days ago and began the process of preparing our classrooms and being professionally developed.  This is a process which takes 100 7 days and actually helps the teachers become accustomed to once again getting up early, learning again how to clear the paper jams in the copier, and remembering passwords that haven't been used in months.  It's for the best, as by the time the students arrive teachers have settled in and are more than ready for the little cuties to arrive that first day.

Being a morning person, I have arrived at school early to jump into "setting up my classroom" before the meetings for the day begin.  I'm sure it goes without saying that the venti skinny vanilla latte helps fuel my energy so by 9 a.m. I've accomplished quite a bit in a short amount of time.  As one might expect, being a morning person, by mid-afternoon I'm usually dragging.

This morning was allocated to cleaning my desk.  Jeez.  I can't really talk about kids and their messy desks filled with more things than one could imagine, as mine hasn't really been sorted through and organized for five years.  Whoops!   But I soon quickly had the drawers emptied and, if I had not been distracted so many times by the interesting and cool things I was finding in said desk, would have had it all back in order and ship-shape in less than an hour.

My teacher friend across the hall stopped in to say good morning and I saw her eyes admiring the stack of post-it notes, stickers, and other random, still packaged items piled high on my desk awaiting their placement back into the desk.     She casually strolled closer and picked up some cute name tags.

"Hey, if you have any extras can I buy them off you?  I don't really want to have to go all the way over to the teacher's store," she asked.  "For just name tags."

Sounded logical to me. I stretched my arm out like Vanna White.  "Sure!  Take whatever you'd like.  I have plenty."  That was obvious from the leaning tower of name tags spread on the desk before us.

"I'm finding some good stuff in my desk," I bragged to her holding up some colorful stickers.  "You should see all this stuff."

But she COULD see it because it was covering up the entire top of my desk at this point.    She picked up the name tags and left, probably worried that I would start showing her stuff, or perhaps she decided she had a few minutes and should clean her own desk. Either way, I continued with the cleaning and organizing and had everything finished by the time our meeting began! Yay me!

Later today after our meetings wrapped up, I returned to my room to see what other things I could get done before I left for the day.  But first, I sat down at my desk and opened each drawer to admire all the little things in their little organized places.  It almost brought tears to my eyes it was so beautiful!
What next? I asked myself.  If I could make my desk look this good, there was nothing stopping me.

So I turned around to the large closet behind my desk.  It loomed over me, practically taunting me as it is the spot where everything goes during the school year.  I slowly opened it, thinking about how I left it in June as I merrily skipped out the door for summer without a care in the world.  A few of the shelves are organized with notebooks and books and a few other things.  The bottom shelf has posters and bulletin board stuff, maps, and other assorted large paper items.

And then I saw it.  Directly at eye level, the huge pile of papers stacked in the cabinet from last year.  Things I'd copied.  Things I'd printed.  Things that were extra copies of things. Things that hadn't been filed.  Things I had copied twice because I couldn't find it to copy.  I contemplated if it might be better just to pull the stack out and burn it.  That would sure be easier than having to sort through the massive pile and then figure out where to put it.  I took a five inch stack from the top and began looking through it.  I thought about what if I just put the entire stack in the recycling bin?   I'm sure one of the other three wonderful teachers I work with would have a copy of whatever was in this pile.  I put the stack back into the closet and closed the door.

I'll tackle it tomorrow morning when I'm fresh and caffeinated.

  

Happy back to school teacher friends!   This is going to be a great year!  

Put On Your Dancing Shoes

This is what teachers in my school do for fun to celebrate the last day of school!   Happy summer, Way staff and students.  

 Special thanks to our art teacher, Mallory!  Another fantastic idea and movie.    

https://drive.google.com/a/bloomfield.org/file/d/0B2PvabJbf7WgM0JUbG42bU9kZm8/edit

How To Survive The Last Days

10.   Count down the days remaining in the school year.  Post the number on the board each morning in the brightest dry erase marker available and circle it.  Write clever FB posts for your teacher friends to decode.

 9.    Take down things from the walls one small section at a time while students are away in a special.   Challenge the students to tell you what was hanging there.

 8.   Play calming, classical music loudly in your classroom from the minute you arrive in the morning and don't pause it until all the students arrive and get settled.   Pretend you can't hear them because you are listening to the music.  

 7.  Up the size of your desperately needed morning Starbucks skinny vanilla latte to a venti.  Ponder adding another shot. 

 6.  Allow students to watch a movie at lunch even though it's not Friday Movie Day just so it's quieter.

 5.  Use your ultimate power of allowing an extra recess to bargain for better behavior throughout the day.   Act very serious. 

 4.  Spend any available time that used to be used for prepping, planning, copying, and collaborating with your team now talking and bringing no thoughts about teaching whatsoever to the table.  For once, talk about your family, your vacation plans and not talk about curriculum and kids. 

  3.  "Forget" to bring in to school, or out of your car when you get home, your large school bag that is essential on any other days except the final few.  At this point, you've got this.

  2.   Wonder how you possibly got through teaching 176 days, seven hours every day, with eight and nine year olds and are still standing.   And remarkably sane.  Or at least not too crazy that a few weeks of summer won't fix you right up.

  1.   Look around the room at the wonderful, unique, funny, happy, smart, little ones that you've grown to love, and realize you are really going to miss them.

But whatever you do, don't start to think about next year just quite yet.  Give yourself some lazy, sunny, fun-filled days to do whatever you want.  

You sure deserve it.

Tree Hugger

So today was our yearly field trip to the district nature center to travel back in time and "live like a pioneer".  For any of you not versed in Michigan history, that means visiting the log cabin and barn, and heading to the "Sugar Shack" to see how sap is magically turned into maple syrup.  The kids absolutely love, love, love it!  They get to try out tools the pioneers used (saw, corn planter, grinding wheel, etc.), bake cookies in the cabin, make candles, play with pioneer toys, tap a sugar maple tree, and watch sap being boiled into delicious maple syrup.   It's a full day of learning and fun.  It's exciting to see the kids of today experience how different life was years ago.

But today, being March in Michigan, the weather was chilly and rainy and just yucky.  I had reminded all the little ones to make sure and wear boots and bring coats and hats today.  And being the wonderful group of kids they are, today they arrived with their little sack lunch in hand and dressed in boots and rain gear.  They were ready!  No weather was going to stop us from having fun today!  Lucky for me, my daughter had purchased me the perfect gift last Christmas - a pair of rubber rain boots with warm socks.  I was prepared!  For once, I wouldn't be freezing and improperly dressed for an outdoor, all day field trip.  

The best part of the day for me was when we were in the maple trees.  The guide was showing the students how to tap the spile into the tree.  They had just measured the tree to make sure it was big enough to be tapped.   (See how much we learn in 3rd grade?)  As one little girl turned the hand drill into the tree, another little boy skipped off to another tree.  And I overheard this as he wrapped his arms around the tree and hugged it:

"Oh, hi, maple tree.  You are a strong, good tree.  But you aren't big enough yet to be a tree to give me maple syrup.   You need to wait another 10 years.  Don't be sad, tree.  One day you will make sweet maple syrup."

I smiled as I watched him join us again as the sap dripped into the bucket and the amazed little students watched and oohed and aahed.  They tasted the sap and smiled and giggled and made faces and asked questions.  

As we left today, I thought about my little tree hugger.  This wonderful, sweet little boy talking to the trees.  

And that, my friends, is one of the many reasons I love my job.  My day was spent in the trees and in a "Sugar Shack" and in a log cabin making cookies.   

It just doesn't get much better than that.

Nap Time

We have been learning about life in the 1800s in Michigan.  Mainly about the settlers and how many arrived in Michigan via the Erie Canal and how Michigan became a state in 1837.   The little kids really love reading and talking about Michigan history and they always make great connections and ask good questions.  It's fun to watch the little wheels turning in their head as they understand big ideas and generate more questions to help them learn.

So today, as we sat on the back carpet talking about how tough (and different) life would be in the 1800s in Michigan, I directed their attention to a picture in their book of a pioneer woman pushing a plow.

If you look carefully you can see a little box by the handle of the plow with a little bundled up baby in it.  I asked them to look at the picture closely and one little darling quickly noticed the tiny baby on the plow.

"If you lived as a pioneer in the 1800s, everybody worked," I explained to them.  "The men, the woman, and even the kids!  Boys and girls your age would have had chores to do every day that kept them busy," I explained.  The pain on their faces was evident.  The thought of working all day had them worried.

"Life as a pioneer was tough," I added.  "You had to cut down the trees to build your cabin, plow the fields to plant, make your own candles, wash your clothes by hand, and make all your food."

They looked displeased at the mere thought of a life so drastically different than their own.  So I said it again for affect.  "Everybody had to work!"

"Even the baby worked!" interjected one little one, pointing to the baby in the picture.

"Yeah........ he worked on a nap!"  said one funny boy.    And it was quite clever, so we all had a good little chuckle.

I don't know exactly what it was, but something about that picture with the napping baby, and my classroom of little cuties, had me smiling the rest of the day.  

Sometimes, it really is the little things.

Stars & Stripes Forever

It's not like there aren't funny things that happen every day in my classroom and inspiring stories to blog about.  There are.  Last year I walked around with a notepad in my pocket so I could record the funny little stories and the happy moments that go on constantly during the day.   This year, with no notepad in my pocket, the spontaneous and silly things that happen are, sadly, forgotten most days by the time I arrive home exhausted. 

I'm so relieved that this week it is staying lighter longer at night (daylight savings time) AND our cold, cold winter has let go of us a bit and we've had temperatures in the 40's and 50's. The sun has even been shining.  It's like a collective sigh of relief as our spring begins to slowly arrive.  Soon, teacher friends, we'll be able to go out for *gasp* an extra recess to enjoy the nice weather.

So today, this happened.

I was asking the students to finish up their reading and put away their book boxes.  One student, who had just returned from a reading class plopped down in his seat and caught my attention.  As the other students hurried about, he looked at me and said, "What should I do?  Just sit here?"   

It seemed a very silly question with an obvious answer so I looked him in the eyes. 

"Well... no.  You should stand on your head and do a headstand while singing the National Anthem," I said to him with a serious face.   I even motioned towards the back carpet area invitingly.   He smiled.  

I arched my eyebrows as best I could.  A challenge.

And then he pushed his chair out, stood up, hustled over to the back carpet and kicked himself up into a perfect headstand.   

"How does that song go again?" he asked me with his upside-down face.  

"Ohhhh-oh say can you...." I began.     And he picked it up from there as his face turned a faint shade of pink.

Let's just say it took about a nanosecond for the other little ones to see that something very unusual was going down at the back carpet.  And they certainly were not going to miss it.  Soon, they gathered, from near and from far.  They joined in the song.  Because they are kids.  A couple of them danced a bit and they circled around him singing and encouraging him.  They may not have known all the words, but they made up for it with their determination and resolve.  

And he did it! He brought his legs back down to a very appreciative audience who were now madly clapping and shouting words of admiration.  I wasn't sure if his red face was from being upside down or from embarrassment from all the attention.

As I pointed them back to their tables to get back on task after the impromptu show, the little boy looked over his shoulder at me as he said, "You know, I can do back flips too!" 

"Impressive," I told him.   "But no."   

I don't just work with a bunch of energetic, spunky, talented kids.  I truly work with little superSTARS who are talented in so many ways.

Every last one of them. 

It's How You Look At Life

If you're ever having a bad day or down in the dumps, spend some time around a kid. They can always cheer you up.  Case in point:  last Thursday the 3rd graders had a big practice for their evening presentation of "The Drum".  Our wonderful music teacher, Mrs. Oberst, had been leading practice sessions for weeks and the 3rd graders were dizzy with excitement and nerves.   So, I lined my little ones up in our classroom to head down to the dress rehearsal in the proper order by announcing each name.  They pushed their chairs in and bounced over to their position in line.  You could feel the energy.   

We approached the back stage door and waited patiently for the first two classes to enter.  As my students walked up the steps back stage, I smiled at each of them and said, "Smile!" making a big sweep with my hands for emphasis.  They couldn't help but smile back as they hurried on their way.

The rehearsal wasn't the best practice I've ever seen.  The kids were noisy.  They were squiggly and full of nervous energy.  They missed some of their lines and forgot to go to their instruments.  By the end of practice, the music teacher looked a bit exasperated with them.   I reminded her how they always pull through for the performance and I assured her they would be great!

And then, later that night, when I lined them up in the classroom, for the real performance, I told them all how proud I was of them.  I told them to remember to smile and have fun!   And I said to them that if they got nervous they could look at me.  I'd be right up front in the first row.  
    
As their little voices sang in their cute little kid way, and they all perfectly executed their lines and played their instruments, I got a little teary eyed. I'm proud of them every day when they try their best and learn.  I'm proud of them when I see them invite a friend to play at indoor recess or say, "Excuse me" when they bump into someone.  I'm proud of them when I see them invite a younger brother or sister to eat lunch with them.  I'm proud of them when I see them ask for help or try something on their own. I'm proud of them when I hear them read to me and I see them excitedly looking for books in the Media Center.  

And I'm as proud as their parents when I see them on stage singing.  And smiling.

One of the songs that had been playing on repeat in my head every time I picked them up from music the past few weeks was called, "It's How You Look At Life".  

And as I listened to them sing and I watched the parents smiling, I realized it is, truly, how you look at life.  

We could all learn a lesson from the tiny little singers.  

Below Zero

Today we had our first "cold day" of the winter.  Temperatures today are struggling to get above zero and even though the sun is out, it's very misleading.  Every time I let the dog out I'm instantly reminded about just how cold it is outside.  Words don't even describe it.  Unless you've experienced below zero temperatures you really can't appreciate how cold it actually really can get.   And, then, just as I was writing this blog, I got a text that our school district is closed tomorrow also!  Oh, snap!

I texted my daughter in Chicago to give her the wonderful news.  Which, by the way, she didn't think was quite as wonderful as I did because she has to walk to her job in the cold.   She doesn't have snow or cold days.  She did muster up some happiness when I reminded her of the fun we used to have when she was in school and we could enjoy a snow day together.  I texted my husband who quickly texted me back "Yay".  Which I know he doesn't really mean since he has to drive an hour each way to work every day no matter what the weather.  But I appreciate his effort.  When you get a snow day, you want everyone else to be as happy as you are but that usually isn't possible.  So, I took to FB where all my teacher friends were gloriously commenting on the luck of, not just one, but two unexpected, consecutive days off school.  They posted comments and pictures and stories of what great things they were doing with their free time.   I felt validated.

So, what did I do with my day today?  I spent the entire morning zero tasking.  And, yes, that's a real word.  Look it up.  I'm sure you can guess the definition as it's the opposite of multitasking.  It's actually a bit difficult to do.  Urban Dictionary defines it as:  The act of doing exactly zero tasks simultaneously.  I also googled it and found it means "being, not doing".   There is even a "Zero Tasking Day".  What in the world did we ever do without the internet?

My zero tasking today included reading a book on my Kindle that I downloaded almost a year ago, sitting on the couch petting my dog curled up next to me, and cleaning the oven.   And by cleaning, I mean I pushed the button for the 2 hour self clean and left the room.  I figured that was a win-win on this cold day as it heated up the house rather nicely.   So, I'm not sure if I truly zero tasked, but I most definitely one tasked.

I think I did a pretty good job today of just being.  Unexpected days off school have a way of giving you precious time to just do what you want.

Even if that "doing" is nothing.

As Good As It Gets

This snow day is better than most.                    

*  It is on a Monday
*  It is the day following the Super Bowl
*  It is the first snow day of the year
*  We were notified at 4:30 p.m. yesterday (not the usual 4:30 a.m. day of)

I'm staying in and relaxing and soaking up every minute of this perfect snow day. 

  Read some of my previous blogs below about snow days.  I'm too lazy to write a new one today.

Snow Day 2013

How To Enjoy A Snow Day

Polar Vortex

Livin' The Dream

When you are a teacher, having "teacher dreams" just goes with the job.  School and the kids are never far from our thoughts and it's only natural that some of the anxiety and stress bleeds over into our dreamworld.   My first five years of teaching, I probably had dreams about school and teaching at least six nights every week.  By the seventh night, I was so exhausted when I fell into bed that I didn't even dream.  Some weeks I felt like I was teaching all day and all night.  In some dreams I acted out complete lessons, and upon waking, actually used some ideas in my teaching.  But more times that not, the dreams stemmed from my anxiousness and insecurities - one of the reoccurring themes was not being able to control the classroom.   Now, let me interject that classroom management is actually one of the things I think I handle fairly successfully, so it was always interesting that the majority of my 'nightmares' involved me having no control over the little ones. 

Over the years, thankfully, my "teacher dreams" have become less frequent and now, in fact, I rarely have them.  After over a decade, my brain has finally allowed me to rest.  A few weeks before the start of the school year, I always have one or two, but now they are more cheerful and involve less of my anxious thoughts.  Once a year I tend to have the dream where I walk into my class and I have fifty students, but even in my dreams I am now more experienced and better able to handle it. 

Last week, I had a "teacher dream" of another variety.  This one involved me as the student.  I had returned to school to keep my teaching certificate and needed two classes or I was going to lose my job.   I was late for my first class because I got lost finding the classroom.  (Note:  I am an extremely timely person and have been late on only rare occasions.  You could set your clock by me!)   Once in the classroom, I looked around and everyone was working on a test, filling in bubbles on the dreaded scantron form.  The teacher was walking around and I waited for her to approach my desk.  She began berating me for not starting my test yet and I looked around on the desk, locating the test and answer sheet.    At this point, several others had stood up and declared that they were done.   My heart began to race!  I had not even started the test!

I opened the packet and began to read the first question.  It was complicated and made no sense.  As my heart pounded, I read the second question, and then the third, but each one was worse than the one before.   I looked around at people scribbling in the bubbles as panic set in!  I didn't know what to do.   I could feel hot tears building up in my eyes.  What was I going to do?  I was going to fail.   I was stupid.  How could everyone else be capable and I didn't know anything?  Why was this test so hard?

And then somewhere a bell, or something rang, and I realized I had to get to my next class.  The teacher collected everything and I began to rush to class #2.   This one was located in a large computer lab and, once again, everyone was already at their computers, clicking away on the keyboards.  A teacher (who, by the way looked very like our own Media Center Specialist at my own school) pointed me to my computer and matter-of-factly instructed me to get started before I ran out of time.
I tried to log in, but kept getting errors.  It was horrible!   Finally I logged in and I once again read the first question and it didn't make sense.  I read and re-read it.  I asked for a piece of paper and the instructor told me that was not allowed.   She told me that I should be able to figure it out.

And, then, like dreams so often do, it abruptly ended and I was startled awoke, sweat on my brow, and my heart still doing double-time.   Ahhhh... transference at its finest.  Bravo dreamworld!  

I'm sure by now anyone reading this blog who is a teacher already gets where this dream came from.  In fact, our staff meeting last week involved doing practice questions on the new Michigan state test on the computer.  It's a stressful time for a teacher, but, hey, we are used to that.  We deal with twenty-some kids and parents on a daily basis.  We juggle teaching writing, reading, math, and four hundred other things in a given day.  We write report cards, answer emails, and correct papers after school hours.   But it's not US we are worried and anxious and stressed about.. it's the kids.  These little ones are being asked to test and, in some cases, know things that little brains can't yet understand.  They are kids.  I've seen the stress and the anxiousness on their tiny faces when they take these mandated tests.  There are no words needed when a little one looks at you across the computer lab with such desperation and fear.   And all I can do is smile back and pat them on the back and tell them to try their very best.   Ugh.

Life is not a multiple choice test or a reading and answering questions test.

Life is problem solving and working together with other people, even ones you may not like.   It's being a good person and helping others.  It is learning and asking questions, and then asking more questions.  It's collaborative and engaging.   It's sharing ideas and reading good books. It's saying, "I'm sorry" and "What can I do to help?"  It's trying your best and when you fail, trying something new.  It's using your imagination.  It's learning and doing and trying. It's challenging and enjoyable.  It's taking risks.  It's being a good friend and making new friends.  It's understanding different viewpoints and appreciating differences.   It's being prepared and going with the flow.  It's up and it's down.  

But most of all, life is dreaming big and following your dreams. 

I hope in all that's going on in the world of education, we never lose sight of that. 

Two For The Price Of One

For the first time in my teaching career, I have a student teacher this year. She started full-time with me on Monday but has been in my classroom once a week since September.  Now, obv I don't have much experience with student teachers and I'm certainly no "student teacher expert" but I would venture to say that I've pretty much hit the Student Teacher Lottery (if there were such a thing). 

For starters, she is an attorney and decided that her passion in life is to become a teacher.  So she went back to school and put in time and effort and $$ because she wants to do something that makes her happy. Teach. Now I'm sure without a doubt she is an excellent attorney and could probably make tons and tons of money and get to go to the bathroom whenever she wanted and take vacations in October, but she knew deep down  that being an attorney wasn't what was going to make her truly happy. I, too, after getting my teaching degree (100 years ago), went into the business world for almost twenty years.  But then I went back to school, earned my Masters degree and spent every minute trying to get a teaching job. I knew that was my passion.   Luckily for me I found a wonderful job in Bloomfield Hills and was fortunate to work my first few years with the best teachers on the planet:  Michelle Alt, Leah Heydenburg, Karen DiPietro, and Erin Marra.  They taught me more in one day than I had ever learned in an entire year in the business world.  Really.  There is a fine art to juggling twenty-five students and managing hundreds of learning objectives.

So, here it is Day #2 with my student teacher being in my classroom every day.  She arrives early.  She asks lots of good questions.  She listens to feedback and makes changes.  She admits she's nervous.  She spends countless hours after the school day preparing.  She listens to the students.  She takes copious notes and is organized. She strives every day to learn and grow and be a good teacher.  She's exhausted at the end of the day.

I think I'm very lucky to have this student teacher with me for the next three months.  But I think my students are even luckier.  They now have two teachers to help them, teach them, encourage them, push them, and learn with them.    They have two teachers  who care about them and, let's be honest here, their chances of getting more personal attention is now two-fold.   

This year I have one of the most wonderful 3rd grade classes I've ever had.  They are polite and kind and have a terrific sense of humor.  They are smart and curious and respectful.  They are fun and sensitive.  It's only January and I already know that I will miss them all very much when June rolls around.  

So here's hoping that my student teacher has a wonderful experience in my classroom this semester. She will be overwhelmed and overworked, but I hope she realizes that the passion she has for teaching is real, and that the fact that she pursued this profession at this point in her life means that she will be a really, really good teacher.  I hope she sees that the bad days can be wiped out in an instant by one good one.  I hope she learns a lot and grows a lot and discovers that even though this is probably the toughest job in the world, it also is one that is worth every ounce of effort.  And to anyone out there who is thinking about it.... always go for it and follow your passion!

                                                  Excited for her 1st day! 

Don't Try This At Home

It's hard to believe it's already December and soon a new year will be here.  Friday was our class party with a New Year's Eve theme.   It goes without saying that the last day before the break is extremely exciting for a kid.  It also goes without saying that it is even more equally exciting for a teacher.  This was evident each and every time I passed a teacher friend in the hallway.  

As the first bell rang and I took up my post by the classroom doorway to greet students and chat with teachers as they stood outside their doorways, it began.

"Seven hours!" called over my next door neighbor above the heads of the little ones hanging up their coats and chattering excitedly.

I smiled back, happy that it was only seven hours, but also knowing deep down that seven hours can seem like many more on a day before a school break.

In the lunch line, at least three other teachers reminded me of the remaining time.  Accurate to the minute, perhaps even second.  We all had a little more pep in our step and a ready smile.  I caught myself looking at the clock more often, counting down in my head the minutes until I could be free of the demanding job that I love so much.  

Now, don't get the wrong impression.  Teachers don't want to get away from students and go on break because they don't like their job or the students.  Teachers just need some time away.  From the constant calling out of our name, the unending pile of paperwork, the "too much to do, too little time" feeling that is constantly nagging us, and the management of twenty-four little personalities every.second.of.every.day.   It's exhausting.  And we need this time away to recharge and reenergize so that we can come back in January and be the best teacher we can be. 

As Friday passed slowly, and the kids were trying their very best to behave and contain their excitement and anticipation of the holidays, we finally make it to the afternoon.  One of my students was having difficulty with a little mini stapler that he had bought in the classroom ticket exchange.  As he watched very closely, I pushed the tiny staples into the tiny stapler and gave it a try.  It wasn't working.  I pushed and snapped it back and forth and suddenly it stapled!  Right into my index finger!   And by stapled, I mean it embedded itself into my finger better than I have ever seen a stapler staple.  

My eyes met the little student who was the owner of the stapler and both our eyes grew into the size of saucers.   One little cutie who had been watching in fascination while I attempted to get the stapler to work, covered her mouth and began repeating words like "oh no", over and over and over.  She covered her mouth, eyes wide, not quite sure what to do.   

Now, when you work with little ones, you have to always remain calm, cool, and collected.  We have fire drills and tornado drills and scary lock down drills and teachers are the height of coolness and calm. We calm down upset kids, mediate arguments, help with lost items, you name it and we do it.  All with a smile and a very patient temperament.    Even when you have just put a staple into your finger.  I couldn't react the way I might if I were alone or with adults.  Of course, if you think about it, I would never be in a situation with adults where I could possibly staple my finger.  

The fact is, any time there is a ruckus or commotion in the classroom, every single student has to rush over to see just what is happening and what they possibly might be missing out on.   So, there I was, standing at the back table holding my finger out so several little ones could admire (or be repulsed) by this staple in my finger.   And, by the way, yes.  It did hurt. A lot.

I tried to pull it out but it was deeper in my finger than any staple I've ever pounded into my wall or bulletin board.  Great.  Even though only a few seconds had passed, it felt like minutes as the little girl continued to look scared (and still had not stopped her chorus of "oh no") and the owner of the stapler looked helplessly on.  They waited for my lead. 

I pulled at it with my fingernail, all the while assuring them that all was fine.  That it was perfectly normal to have a staple in your finger.  But it simply was not budging.  I pulled again and then finally headed over to my desk to find a staple remover.  I was actually thinking that I would have to use it to get this thing out of my finger.  And, yes.  It was hurting even more.  In fact, now it was throbbing.  

My little crowd followed me to my desk and luckily, I pulled one last time and the staple came out.   Immediately, a couple of my little helpers raced to the sink to get a paper towel and water and soap and a bandaid and anything else they thought might help, including a spork.   It wasn't really bleeding and although it did hurt, I soldiered on.  I showed the darling little girl that it wasn't even bleeding.  

"Hey!  It looked worse than it feels," I told her to make her feel better.  "It really doesn't even hurt."   I smiled my best teacher smile.  

She looked relieved.   The stapler owner tossed the defective stapler into the trash in a show of disgust and support of my finger.  

"I'm fine!  I'm fine!" I reassured them all.  "But I wouldn't recommend any of you try this at home!  Just stick to rulers on pencils and clicking your pens."     

They giggled and you could see they all were ok now that I was ok.  Their worry for me is so heart-warming.  The last thing they want is for anything to happen to me.  A classroom of students is like your own little fan club.  

One of the things I always tell my students when they are playing with something in the classroom, like twirling their ruler on their pencil, clicking their pen, or playing with scissors is to save that for when they are home on the weekend with their parents.  I tell them to walk around their house all day Saturday clicking pens, twirling rulers, and playing with scissors.   They always laugh.     We are at the point in the year where as soon as I remind them not to play with something, they all parrot back what I have been telling them all year. 

It was a great New Year's Party on Friday. We had balloons and decorations and music. The kids played some games, wore hats and tiaras, decorated glasses, ate some food, and limboed.  They laughed and had fun.  Just like a kid should do every day.   They gave me gifts and cards they had made with markers and stickers and glitter.  They hugged me tight before they left.  They told me they would miss me and see me next year.   Two weeks is a long time for a nine year old.  I will most certainly miss them too.

And as I glanced up at the clock for the final time a few minutes before the bell rang and looked down at my bandaged finger that was still throbbing, I realized there was no place else I would want to be.  I was giddy at the thought of having two whole weeks of vacation.   One little cutie came up to me to hug me and tell me she would miss me.  She took her little hand and pulled my hand up to look at my bandaged finger. 

"Is your finger ok?" she asked.  

"Yep," I told her.  "Good as new. Just remember  - don't try that one at home!" 

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To all my fellow teachers  - 

     Happy holidays!  Enjoy every minute of your break from school.     

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