Saturday, December 23, 2023

Twas the Week Before Break


 Twas the Week Before Break

Twas the week before break, and all through the halls

Students were excited and restless, bouncing off walls.

Bulletin board displays that had once been hung with care,

Were now all shredded and ripped practically bare;

As children ignored their teachers and leaned on the work,

Or perhaps moved slowly away with a quick shrug and a smirk.

 

We teachers had planned for absences, interruptions, and infusions of sugar,

But, alas, each classroom was rapidly becoming its own pressure cooker.

When over the intercom a loud, crackling announcement began,

Making me wonder what new intrusion would derail my lesson plan.

 

We were all dealt a huge blow, the result of continued snow fall,

“Recess will be held inside your classrooms,” came the ominous call.

But just when I thought my bladder would burst,

Supervision came from the school’s nurse.

 

Now Jasper! Now Casper, now Billy and Willy!

C’mon Tina and Gina, c’mon Sally and Susie!

Get off the bookshelf, get down from the table,

This is still a classroom, not a barnyard stable.

 

When at last the bell finally rang,

To our feet we all eagerly sprang.

Though we all knew tomorrow would bring more of the same,

But at the end of the week, we knew we'd exclaim:

"I’ll see you next year!" as we grinned from ear to ear.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Metal Leaves


 "My brain is made of metal leaves!"

came the lament as the meltdown commenced.

Strong emotions are nearly in control -

in mere moments reason will not exist.

                            Yet,

        I pause to admire the metaphor:

                What a wise way to say,

                            "I can't think today."

        My child is brilliant!

                A future poet or literary genius!

But for now rocking, shushing, and hugging

are the only language that will be understood.

Saturday, December 24, 2022

I'm Not Old, But I'm Not Young


I'm not old, but I'm not young...

gradually aging with

random rashes and hot flashes,

new pain and sudden weight gain.


I'm not old, but I'm not young...

my kids now adults with

graduations pending and

major life plans commencing.


I'm not old, but I'm not young...

my experience with

adulting is three decades strong

but wisdom comes slowly along.


I'm not old, but I'm not young...

friends have come and gone with

Facebook helping to ease distance

as others spring to existence.


I'm not old, but I'm not young...

happily aging with

the career I always wanted

and love that has not absconded.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Last Week in Haiku

 Atypical Week



Atypical week:

Monday was Valentine's Day.

Roses, candy, cards.


Then Tuesday arrived.

Too many meetings scheduled.

Migraine subtracts one.


Ran a Zoom break out room

then I pitched my friend's first book

One more task awaits.


Partner leaving soon

means it's time to interview

kids need a teacher.


One student's absent:

arachnid bite overnight;

spent day in ER.


Another sobs twice.

First unfriended IRL

and then felt dizzy.


Blast email to say

COVID case in grade.

Have I been exposed?


Now I am not sure

the name of the day of week

Is it Friday yet?


Yes! But wait, there's more!

Partner's last day: sad students.

We are now short staffed.


Friday also brought

a second interviewee,

deleting goodbyes.


The weekend is here!

Loving husband has a plan:

Go away to play.



Sunday, November 28, 2021

COVID Weight Gain

 

I wish I wasn't so fat.
Wait. I'm in control of that.
My stomach was never flat,
but it has grown as I've sat.

I should eat less and move more
to fit the clothes I once wore.
But it's easy to ignore
with foods and apps to explore.

Though the solution is clear,
can I successfully steer
through holiday meals and cheer
present at this time of year?

COVID caused routines to shift,
past good habits set adrift.
Excuses have become swift
when comfort food is sniffed.

I wish I wasn't so fat.
I know I can control that.
My stomach never was flat,
but it has grown as I have sat.


Sunday, October 10, 2021

Alphabetical Alliteration

 An accounting of an abrupt address in which I was absurdly and awkwardly accosted:

Beginning with the banal and boring burdens before the bell

a completely confrontational conversation occurred at the copier.

A disagreeable discomfort developed for the duration of the discussion.

Emotional elevation and excuses emerged expeditiously.

Flustered and frustrated I found my foreman far away.

Gathering grit, I glimpsed a guaranteed grounding guide.

With hallmarks of hushed and hurried haste she heard my history.

Immediately invigorated I instantly ignored the initial inane incident

jumping justified and jubilant, jesting and jolly with

keen, kooky, kinetic, and kind kids kept captivated

learning lessons.   Laboring later, legwork for looming lessons,

my mobile murmured a memorable and meaningful message.

A new nuisance incited new and novel nervousness.

Overtly omitting opportunities to observe or overhear orations,

planning passage to prevent the prospect of participation in a

queasy, quirky, and qualm filled quarrel with consequent quiet quaking

resulted in rethinking my relish to retain my recent responsibilities.

Students sweetly studying sway my sentiment slightly, still I

trust traditional terrible tension tarries twixt the team with the

upshot of unique and unusual unreasonable unease usurping

vast vestiges of vitality and elevating the volume of vexation.

Will warped ways wane or warily wait to wreak weightier wackiness?

Exhaustion extols exactly why extraction and exit excite.

Yet, I yearn for years of yore yawning with

zippy, zesty, zeal and a zone of zen.

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Spring Has Sprung


This week we went from freezing weather to spring in one week.. It made the first week back after spring break challenging for everyone to remain focused. The rain will probably be back within another week, as is par for the course this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. 

The kids were super tired and super squirrely at the same time.. They were tired enough to not answer super simple questions each morning... the kind where when the answers came to light everyone goes, "Ohh.... right! I knew that!" And they did. They were unfocused enough in the afternoons that simple directions were not followed without repeated repetition. Kids were falling out of their chairs and running in circles around their desks as we got ready to head out to recess.

We had a good week, but I started to notice how close to the end of the school year we are. I'm hoping the cooler weather at the end of the week will help refocus the kids so we can have a strong finish to the school year.



My partner teacher and I are figuring out how to get through the rest of our content with the remaining weeks left. But of course we also need to keep the kids focused as the beautiful weather days increase and students can feel the end of the school year coming. 



I have had to tell them several times this week that trash talk doesn't belong in the classroom, which is new, at least within my earshot. We are leaning heavily on the Second Step definition of respect: Treat others how they want they to be treated. I have this compliment artwork in my classroom and I bought three more inspirational sayings from the same artist to put on display around the room.