I thought it would be nice to reflect on a few smiles I’ve had in the last week for today’s post. We have one more day of school before the Winter Break so, like many educators this time of year, I’ve been clinging to these moments of joy while trying to maintain some semblance of order amongst the students who are revving up with anticipation for vacation.
Joy Moment #1 – One of my callbacks is , “Hey, Rockstars!” to which the students respond, “Hey, what?” and look at me for directions. This week, with an administrator doing a weekly walkthrough, I called out, “Hey, Rockstars!”, and received the usual response. However, many of the students continued whatever they were doing. “Uh oh, ” I said. “I think you guys forgot something. What are supposed to do when I say, ‘Hey, Rockstars?”
“Look at your beautiful face!” one of the students responded immediately.
I’m sure that face turned bright red as I realized that my administrator now thinks I demand gazes of adoration every time I give instructions…
Joy Moment #2 – Tuesday was a gloomy, rainy day so I implemented the Indoor Recess Plan with my 5th graders. As a group gleefully played and talked smack at my foosball coffee table, another group grabbed the iPads to play SpaceTeam. In between cheers of, “Goal!!!!” I got to hear students shouting, “Poke the Cheese Platter! I said, Poke the Cheese Platter! Oh no, now the translator is defective!” I felt like a member of the Star Trek crew who had been accidentally transported to a cooking show being broadcast live from a football tournament.
Joy Moment #3 – As a Christmas gift one of our wonderful parents brought jumbo packs of soft toilet paper to stock every faculty bathroom in the school.
Joy Moment #4 – When I ran across this page of really bad analogies written by high school students. My personal favorite is, “like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.”
Joy Moment #5 – Discovering this teacher version of Cards Against Humanity on We are Teachers.
Joy Moment #6 – Watching a confused teacher pull out a Squatty Potty during our White Elephant gift exchange, and then listening to everyone try to explain to her its purpose. Finally, someone suggested, “Maybe you can just use it in your classroom as a stool?”
Joy Moment #7 – This
Joy Moment Infinity – The hugs and good wishes from students, colleagues, and parents.
Merry Christmas to all and don’t forget to Poke the Cheese Platter!
