Laryngitis: A Teacher's Worst Enemy.

When it looked like things couldn't get worse, they did. The past 3 days have been the most frustrating days of my teaching life. I have a new appreciation and sympathy for those unable to communicate at all with others. I can't imagine being like that all the time... the first day I cried because no one could understand me. To not be able to speak when you're supposed to maintain some sort of order with 17 children right before Christmas Break is like finding out you are being unjustly admitted to a place with a strait jacket and padded walls.

How did it happen? Well, because I was getting over a sickness, it apparently wanted to make things worse. At recess on Tuesday, K decided it was a smart choice to continually hit another student on the playground for no good reason at all. I tried to use my gut to project my voice, but when you're across a playground and there is hitting going on, you just do what you have to do. I was screaming for K to get over to me, and of course, all week he drove me up the wall with his senseless crying, so I was already at my wits' end with him.

An hour after this happened, my voice was gone and a goose took residence in my throat. Body=good. Voice=bad.

We had a field trip on Wednesday, and thank goodness, I had a parent volunteer. She at least helped corral the kids. Thank all that is good that we had Christmas movies the last two days. I would have called in sick otherwise.

My kids were as sweet as they could be right before a vacation. I made out in student gifts, too. (Funny enough, I received gifts from the already-great students... not my troubling ones. EXCEPT DS. He gave me a nice Yankee Candle Christmas set.) Gift cards to Olive Garden and B&N... are divine. AND I received my very first "Best Teacher" paraphernalia from G. It's a keychain with an apple that says "Best Teacher" and a pencil. Of course, it's on my keychain now, especially because it is my very first student-given teacher knickknack. :)

NOTE TO PARENTS:
As unbiased/objective/equal as teachers try really hard to be, if you show your appreciation for them (i.e., with a note, card, gift, etc), we unknowingly create a little soft spot for your child, and when they have difficulty learning a new skill, we ARE ever so slightly more patient with them because we know their parents support and respect our positions. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! ... we will never outwardly admit it because we do want to be equally fair to ALL kids. But heck, it's the truth. Show the love to your kids' teachers. I guarantee when something rough happens, they will be a lot more willing to work with you. :)
[This ends our service announcement.]

So, the final counts are in for the first half of the year...
... the times I've been called Mom : 19
... the times I've been called Grandma : 1
... the times T has said he wants to live with me : 4
... the times K has cried over something ridiculous : 25
... the times I had to tell TA to sit down : ~100
... the times I was called beautiful by my kids (ultimate heart-toucher) : ~10
... the times I had to say 4+0=4 : 5
... the times DS stood next to me to lean his head on my side : 6
... the times I had to hear questions about eating astronaut ice cream : 15
... and finally, the times I received student drawings of random things : 27

As I conclude this, I give up many cheers and hoots that I am now on Winter Break. It's delicious bliss, and I will bask in it for the next two weeks... even though I've already started thinking about fun things to do when we go back.... DOH!

I will be away in California until New Year's Eve, so I hope that all goes well. I get to see Boston friends, meet M, spend Christmas with LK and M&M, eat at Souplantation (only the best place ever)... and see my pandas! It just has to go well.

- Miss Chelsea :)