A Day in the Life

I was telling Mickey about the day I had last week and I realized just how many unexpected twists and turns my days can take. I don't know each morning I wake up what kind of day it's going to be. Sure, no one really does, but I remember when I worked at my last job that the days would go pretty much the same from start time until finish. Here's the play-by play of my day last Friday:

5:30 am: Alarm clock sounds and Stein turns it off. I groan as I pull myself out of bed. "Why did I agree to run with my sister-n-law?" I asked myself.
5:50 am: Walk outside and realize the shorts I'm wearing may be a little too chilly for the cold morning.
6:30: Arrive back home after huffing and puffing my way through almost 3 miles.
7:30: Leave the house and think, "It's going to be a great day. Kids have art first thing, then we have a field trip this afternoon."
7:45: Arrive at school and put on some happy, groovin' music in my classroom. I say my usual good morning pleasantries with the custodian and the other early arrivers.
8:46: Put on piano music for kid's arrival. Post myself at the door.
8:48: The bell rings and kids start flooding into the school. I tell the same kindergartners that pass my door on the way to their classroom to "Please slow down, stop running." I should really just play a recording at this point, I think.
8:52: I hear the kids in my room getting into mischief, so I go in and firmly tell them to get in line for art.
8:55: Deliver the kids to the art teacher, say hi to a few friends on the way back to my classroom, and breathe a sigh of relief knowing I'm free for a whole hour.
9:00: Realize that I have a few copies to make. Go to the office and exchange pleasantries with the admin staff.
9:05: While making copies, the English as a Second Language teacher comes up to me and introduces me to one of the rough boys' mom. "Remember the meeting we have this morning?" Meeting? Ah yes, I'll be right there.
9:07: Meet the ESL teacher and rough boy mom in the teacher's lounge. We go through the process of having the ESL teacher translate the entire conversation. I say something, it's listened to, then the ESL teacher tells the mom, and then the mom says something back. I make a note to self: brush up on your Spanish. It would be so much easier.
9:30: Look at the clock. Make another note to self: Brush up on Spanish NOW. I would be out of here by now if I knew the language.
9:45: Look at the clock. Realize my whole hour without kids was instead filled with talking about kids.
9:55: I cut off the ESL teacher mid-sentence and tell her I have to pick up my kids from art. She tells me that she and the mom are going to "spy" on the rough boy through the window in my classroom door.
10:00: Pick up the kids from art class and realize that I have 40 minutes to get through the math lesson before we have our special reward activity. I have confidence I can do so.
10:10: As I am instructing the class on factor trees and common denominators, I notice the ESL teacher and rough boy's mom peering through the classroom window. As do other kids who quickly tell the rough boy that his mom is in the hall. Rough boy looks humiliated. Success, I think.
10:12: The phone rings. It's a parent calling to tell me that her daughter just text-messaged her and said that a boy in the class hit her and she was fed up so she hit him back. She wants to know the background and why this was allowed to happen. She wants to set up a meeting with the boy's parents.
10:15: I politely try to end the conversation and ask her if I could call her back while I wasn't instructing. She lets me go.
10:16: As I hang up the phone and turn around, the principal is standing next to me with the fighting girl. She is questioning the girl on why she had a cell phone in school, why she was texting, and what happened. The principal tells the boy who hit her to come to her office. He leaves.
10:18: I realize I only have about 20 more minutes to complete the lesson. I reassure myself that the kids are familiar with the lesson and this is just a review.
10:20: The ESL teacher asks if she can take rough boy out in the hall and talk with him and his mom. Have at it, I think.
10:40: Tell the kids to put away their math materials and line up for the special activity. The kids who don't qualify are sent to the Principal's office.
10:45: Breathe another sigh of relief when we're outside in the warm sun, flying kites, playing with sidewalk chalk, and blowing bubbles. Success with the activity.
11:40: Go back inside and get ready for lunch. Have a few minutes to scarf down my lunch and get the kids from the lunchroom.
12:10: Get the kids from lunch, meet in Laura's room to give last minute instructions, and board the bus for the field trip.
12:20: Join Laura in repeatedly telling kids to sit down and face forward on the bus.
12:45: Arrive at the field trip and allow the people in charge there to handle the kids.
1:00: Take pictures of the kids as they do science activities. Realize the pre-picked groups are working like clockwork.
2:00: Board bus to go back to school.
2:05: Join Laura in repeatedly telling kids to sit down and face forward on the bus.
2:20: Arrive back at school and have all kids sit in one room to get a talking to. The principal joins us and Laura goes over the new behavior policy.
2:45: Take the kids out for a short recess.
3:00: Switch classes with Laura's class and attempt to teach her kids the math lesson in 30 minutes. Well, I did it in about 25 minutes this morning, so 30 minutes will be a luxury, I think.
3:30: Switch back with my class and get ready to end the day.
3:35: Darling from Laura's room races into my room and asks if there is homework for math, and could I also hand out the family letter for the new unit?
3:38: Hand out homework and family letter to kids in my room. Dismiss the safety patrol kids to go to their posts.
3:42: The bell rings. I say "Have a great weekend!" to each one of the students as they leave the room. I walk down the hall and breathe a big sigh of relief.

School is over, it's Friday, and we have 3 days ahead. Hallelujah.