Tales of an Elementary School Teacher

 

As an elementary school teacher you see and hear some funny and often times crazy things from kids, parents and other staff members.  You see things happen that will have you laughing your a** off for days and things that will make your jaw drop to the floor like a cartoon character.  And you yourself lose your mind at least once a month week and do and say things that the average person would be committed to a loony bin for.  WHY?  Because you are an elementary school teacher and our world is crazy and silly and awesome and sad and wild and weird and beautiful and much much more.  We teach young children and life in our world is simply unpredictable.  And I wouldn't change it for a second!

With all that being said, for the last six years so many things have happened that I have wished I had written down.  Things that I want to always remember.  So I am starting a segment of my blog where I can document these moments.  I will always change the names to protect the innocent and often times the guilty! ;) 

Today one of those things happened and the crazy person in this story was ME, the 2nd grade teacher! 

Yesterday was the first day of school.  School ends at 3:00pm.  I usually start my pack up routine about fifteen minutes before the bell rings.  This allows for enough time to get take-home folders, pack backpacks, get lunchboxes, clean up the classroom, stack chairs, remind students how they are going home, check my email for any last minute emails from parents telling me their child is going home a different way then the way I just told the child three times so they would remember it, yada yada yada.  So basically, until the routines are established (it takes weeks) my rooms is nothing short of chaos for that part of the day with 22 students moving in 22 different directions.  After teaching for six years you would think I would remember that this process takes a lot longer than 15 minutes on the first day of school.  Needless to say we were the last 2nd grade class to dismiss and we were running from the room as the bell was ringing.  (All of my students did make it home though!) 

So when today began one of my goals was to make sure we were ready on time and not racing out the door at the last minute.  I started the pack up routine at 2:30, giving us half an hour to complete everything.  I decided that I would rather be ready early and organized today.  So everything was going smoothly and we were almost all ready with about ten minutes to spare!  I was feeling great and praising the kids for following directions after the first second third fifth time I had given them.  (Remember, they are 7!  It takes a few times for everything to sink in!)  Then my friend, who teaches next door came into my room to ask me for something.  She looked around the room and said,
     "What are yall doing?" 
     "Packing up!  We are NOT going to be late today!"  I said with a big grin. 
     "Well you definitely won't be late today," she said with a smirk. 
     "You are an HOUR early!" 

It was 1:50pm, NOT 2:50!  I had packed up the whole class one hour early!  I guess I was really ready for day 2 to end! ;)

It's the 22nd & Learning to Juggle

Today is August 22nd, which means Austin is 7 months old today!!!!  Which also means I am due for a 7 month post.  I have not started it and won't even start until this weekend.  I have been back at work for a week now and life is crazy busy!  I will do my best to blog as often as possible and I have a pretty good list of posts that I know I need to write but simply can't find the time or energy for right now.  If you are unfamiliar with the "teaching world", yes it is a world of its own, this is a CRAZY time of year.  I pretty much run on coffee and adrenaline from now until the end of October.  Things will slow down for a bit and then pick up again in the Spring a few months before testing begins.........WAIT, HOLD ON....I'm teaching 2nd grade this year which means NO STAAR test!!!!!!!!!!  YAY!  Haha!  I think that means that it will just push my next crazy season back a bit before we kick into high gear around the last quarter of the school year.  But this year I have also added a baby to the mix so we will see how it all plays out with that additional variable!  I will admit that I have been a mess more days than not when I've left for work the last couple days.  And I completely lost it last night when I got home from Meet The Teacher night and Austin was already asleep.  My days have just been very long this week, making my time with Austin very short.  :(  I hope I can learn to juggle better. 

4 Years!

Last Thursday, August 2nd, was our 4th wedding anniversary!  I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday as it was one of the greatest days of my life.  Like every little girl, I had dreamed about my wedding day my entire life.  Being the only girl in the family my mom and I worked together to plan the most magical day and I have to say we did a fabulous job.  Now 4 years later the "mental pictures" I took that day still linger in my head and it puts a smile on my face to picture Tayt's face as I walked down the isle to him.  That will be a moment that I will never forget as I remember that was the moment I almost lost it as my heart swelled with love for the man I would soon call my husband.  I was proud to stand before my family, friends and most importantly God and confess my love and loyalty to him. 

I will forever repeat those vows to you Tayt.  I couldn't image traveling through life without you by my side.  You asked with these words, "I love you.  I always have and I always will.  Will you marry me?"  And my answer will forever be YES!  Here's to many many more years Tayt Todd.  Thank you for making me Mrs. Todd!
(Here are a few random pictures I have.  Sadly, I don't have my professional pictures saved on a disk, they are just in an album.  But these capture the moment perfectly!!)



The morning after I said YES! 12/22/07

ceremony 8/2/08

vows

You may kiss the bride!!



Mr. and Mrs. Todd