The Start of School

School officially started last week! I can't believe summer has come (and gone) so quickly. I'm loving this school year so far. I have quite a few characters in my class. Since 2nd graders at my school switch classes for Math, LA and Integrated Curriculum (science/social studies), I have had the chance to meet the majority of the seventy-some-odd second graders.

The start of school is always crazy and I feel as though it is all I can think about. I continually have a running To-Do list in my mind. Even through all the craziness, I had an epiphany on Wednesday. I realized, completely, that I was truly meant to be a primary school teacher. I've told a few close friends this story, and got the normal, "I can't believe you do that" or "There's not way I could deal with that" responses. I just laugh, because I love my job so much. (At least right now I do, ask me when I'm dying for Christmas, I mean...Winter Break, and I might have a different response.) Just a warning: This story involves "boogers" as the kids say. Here it is:

I was teaching class, towards the end of the day. By the end of the day I have to teach while walking around my classroom. I tell the kids I do it to keep them awake and paying attention, but I do it for my sanity too. So I'm walking, and teaching, and walking, and teaching when a little kid lets out a huge sneeze! "Bless you", I say and continue to teach, thinking nothing of it. That is until I get to the front of my classroom, where I bend my arm in just the right way to feel something on it. Something cold...something sticky. Oh yes, I look down and realize the sneezy kid snotted on me. GROSS as I roll my mind's eye. Of course I can't react to it while I'm in the middle of teaching.

So being the primary school teacher I am, I continue walking and teaching, and teaching and walking all the way to the back of my room where the Kleenex box is. I grab a tissue, wipe my arm...all while teaching mind you. Teaching and walking, walking and teaching to the trash can to throw away contaminated tissue. Walking and teaching, teaching and walking back to the hand sanitizer. Still teaching, I get a nice dose of hand sanitizer and clean my hands and arms all the way up my shoulders. Still talking and teaching I realize the kids haven't even noticed that it happened, in fact, the Special Ed teacher that was in my room didn't even realize it.

I know some of my friends are crawling in their skin as they hear this story and I'm glad they are accountants and business people. It didn't bother me (although, it was pretty gross) and I guess that's why I teach 2nd grade. I think the snotty kids appreciate me.