Thanks SO SO SO much for liking my Facebook page. I love reading what everyone posts on it — and I can’t wait to start leaving some good stuff on there myself. I don’t have any clue what that good stuff might be, but let me tell you that I’m super excited about it.
Also, I have to give a special thank you to Hadar, aka Miss Kindergarten for helping me out. Love ya, girl!
Onto the winner!
Wait. First, a disclaimer. I can now reply to comments on my blog. However, it has made my numbered comments disappear. So I had to count manually. You can double check my count and if you disagree, you can file a claim with my business offices at 1234 WhoCanHelpMeGetMyNumberedCommentsBack.
Okay, my friends, I am so glad that today is Wednesday and I’ve made it half way through the week.
Listen to this.
We were supposed to be able to play on the south side of the blacktop today, but we couldn’t. They were still painting. In fact, they were just painting EVERYTHING. Yellow caution tape was surrounding the entire playground and we basically had a teeny walkway in which to get to the gate that leads to our grass area.
But you can bet your bottom dollar that I was taking my entire class of 27 through that teeny walkway come heck or highwater! (I did have 29. I lost two. Sort of. It’s a long story and I can’t go into it. I want to, but it’s not in the best interest of me keeping my job and since I really like it most of the time, and I do not think I could survive in a desk job or a retail job or a food job or a wine job cleaning job, I’m going to keep my mouth shut.)
HOWEVER, when we got to the gate, two guys on riding lawn mowers and one guy with a weed whacker were out on the grass — apparently doing landscaping of some kind.
This happens occasionally. And we keep the grass closed and just play on the blacktop.
But seeing as how the blacktop was closed and practically every first through third grade teacher was now behind me with their huge class sizes behind them in the teeny walkway, there was only one thing I could do.
I asked my partner to go talk to the scary men.
She did and they said they needed ten more minutes. Uh, no. That won’t work. Recess is only 15 minutes and this here exhange was taking up at least two minutes.
She said, “Uh, no.”
And then I don’t know what else happened because I was far away from the scary men, but they agreed to let us have one-half of the grass while they were on the other half.
So, EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT HAVE RECESS DUTY, I stayed out there with the teachers who did, and we corraled the 10,000 or so (ball park figure) rascals and all was fine.
UNTIL.
An announcement was made over the loud speaker that the grass was being mowed, and that teachers needed to pick their students up immediately and return to class.
Once we heard that, we determined that we had actually heard wrong, (I mean, we knew the grass was being mowed. We were right there with them. At least the men had bandannas. We sure didn’t.) and continued on with recess.
AND THEN.
Our administrator came out.
Luckily, I just blend right in with those kiddos. You can’t find me among a crowd of kids. I camoflauge, don’t you know.
We scattered like scared little kids, afraid we were going to get in trouble.
Instead, our admin went over to the lawn guys and said . . . well, I don’t know what was said because I was hiding behind a big third grader.
Supposedly, the lunch recess went better, but I have no clue because I was eating my Fettucine Alfredo with Bread and Dipping Sauce Cinnamon Toast Crunch in my classroom as I watched Days of Our Lives and painted my nails and read People frantically graded writing papers and story structure papers and got ready for a sub because I have a training tomorrow.
In which case, whatever happens with recess tomorrow is the sub’s problem. Poor thing.
Yea, our landscapers only seem to ride the riding lawn mowers, right outside our windows, during reading groups. Maybe our schools share the same landscaping company?
Amy Howbert
Little Miss Organized
amyhowbert1@gmail.com
OMG, ME TOO (re: the reading groups)! LOL. Best of luck with that! π
GAYLA
Teach On.
HAHA. Here I thought my recess woes were terrible today! Now my sad little story of sending the kids outside for it to immediately begin pouring down rain seems so inadequate!
Made me chuckle π
Mr. First Grade
You just make me laugh and I want to be your teaching partner!!
My husband actually came into the room and asked what the heck I was laughing about. Similar happenings have occurred on my end, but those darn Kindergartners are just too short to hide behind so I had to take one for the team. Loved reading your post π
Karen
Mrs. Jonesβs Kindergarten
Oh girl! What I would DO for an outside recess!! We've had 8 days of straight inside (my classroom) recess do to snow,temperatures below freezing, and poor air quality! I'm going crazy! The kids are wacko!! When are you going to publish all of these posts in a book?? I love me a dose of "Cupcake Therapy"!
Hugs,
Rebecca
Teaching First
You are by far one of the funniest people I have ever met (well, met-ish). Loved reading about your recess! I can totally relate! They replaced the concrete near our playground in December. I was like, really? December?! If there is ever a month where we need a 15 minute break to sit and stare into space while smiling and waving away the 1000 children running up to us with untied shoes,and complaints, it is December. So glad you made it work and got to have your recess π
I nearly peed reading this. You are so funny!! Don't ya love when non-education people think they are going to be in charge of how your day goes? Good luck to your sub. Sounds like she/he going to need it!
Brandi
My Teacher Friend
Haha! Your posts always crack me up! That's ridiculous that your kids could not have a normal recess! We have a problem at our school where the recess monitors (yes, we have duty free lunch!) keep the kids on the blacktop only because they don't want them to get dirty! So, all they do is play four square and walk around. It's a shame.
Running and playing at recess is important!!
Becky
Compassionate Teacher
I can't get over the fact that you have 27 1st graders. I am a math facilitator in a small K – 6 school, and some of our teachers think having many more than 20 is unreasonable. I use you as an example by saying, "I know of a teacher somewhere who has 27 students, and it sounds like she has fun all day long." I have shared some of your ideas with them, too. By the way, I am a huge DOOL fan, too!
As a math facilitator, how many kids do you usually work with at one time? Just wondering. Is it 27?
As a math facilitator, how many kids do you usually work with at one time? Just wondering. Is it 27?
Yesterday must have been the day….Halfway through my morning recess came the announcement the blacktop is too icy. No outside recess. I think, seriously…seriously…we are already out there. I peek out the window to see if I need to go pick up my kiddos (we already had two days of missed morning recess for it being too cold, for us that is 9 or below. It was -3 on Monday. Monday, my first day back and I was counting on morning recess to finish making copies). Kindergarten has their own playground and my teaching partner, bless her soul, was keeping them out even though first grade did manage to gather up their kids and head back in. Lunchtime comes and the announcement is that every grade level will go to the Kindergarten playground by way of the front door (so they don't have to walk on the blacktop). The Kindergarten playground is fenced, small, but at least the kids got outside and teachers got to have a lunch. This morning it is snowing. π
Terri Izatt
KinderKapers
9 or below?! Holy canoli! We can't take our kids out if it's below 32! And only for 15 minutes if it's "in the 30s!" Can you guess where I live…?! TX. LOL. That is just too funny!
GAYLA
Teach On.
I love your writing style. It always makes me giggle! I still remember my all time favorite post of yours when you were describing reading to your class and I believed you said you growled at the kids (in your head) LOL!
Trisha
2nd Grade Frosting
Girl–your recess situation has GOT TO GO. Or GOSTA GO, in the words of Bonquiqui. Wait, have you seen Bonquiqui? If you have not seen Bonquiqui, you must search her on YouTube immediately and enjoy. But anyway, seriously with the recess situation!
So, today was my first day back–before you get jealous, it's because we've all had the flu at my house–and since it rained for like 48 hours straight, there shall be no playground recess for god knows how long. HowEVER, we have a parking lot we play on in the wet ground but no rain scenario, and apparently it went REALLY well today (as in, no one fell and broke anything or fell and was bleeding out for the first time, like, ever)! WHOO.
So…best of luck to your sub tomorrow, HA! And have fun at your training, or at least enjoy being away from the craziness. And might you get to enjoy a lunch OUT?!
Holla.
GAYLA
Teach On.
I am dying with laughter!
You are so funny! We had rain for 3 days straight this week-so our kiddos had serious cabin fever. I understand doing what you have to do to ensure recess! π
NotJustChild'sPlay
Oh don't you hate it when recess is canceled for silly little things. Don't they understand that us teachers need a break!! Luckily, all was good. π
Jennifer
Darling Little Learners