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! ;)