This is War

I had the most fun and interesting and exhausting day the other day at work. As each round of shots is given in our school district,  the people receiving them are often ill the next day; thus leaving an entire school district short on substitutes. When this happens, we all step in to cover classrooms while still trying to perform all the other duties we are supposed to take care of every day. I was tired. I'm always tired. I think the world is tired. It was one of those mornings I would have called in sick if I didn't already have the feeling I would be needed that day. I dragged  myself out of bed, did my hour of yoga, and hauled my sorry rear to school. Upon getting there I could tell immediately that all areas of our school would be running short-staffed. I clocked in and made it out of the main office without being "caught" and headed to my office. I was wearing an outfit without any pockets to keep my phone in, and as I grabbed it out of my school bag, I could see the office of my school had been calling. Then I knew I was on the line, and that I needed to gather all my strength to go face the day. Now let's be clear-I LOVE MY JOB! I love the kids, I love the environment, I love the fulfillment, and I love the people. But I also have a set schedule each day in which I have to complete many various tasks all over the school. It is a hectic schedule without anything extra. We all joke that we need bathroom passes like we give to the kids-because there are days you can't find time to make it up the hallway to the restroom. You just push the thought of a break out of your mind and hope you get everything done in the amount of time you have been given. 

At any rate, I went to receive my instructions and get going on my day. I found out I was going to kindergarten! I love kindergarten, but I know it takes loads of energy to keep up with those kiddos, especially in a year where we are bending to mandates and experiencing one-to-one electronics in teaching. Luckily, a couple of my co-workers were already in there for groups and were monumental in me getting a good start. We tried to make sense of the schedule and how we could fit everything that we needed to cover along with making sure our kindergarteners were taken care of. Let me just say I work with some of the finest, most wonderful people on the planet. Everyone involved in making this day work was kind, accommodating and supportive. Understand that if I am covering something that is not one of my usual assignments, there is always another person or persons that will be affected. Someone always loses something. But because I have this incredible work village, we got it ironed out. And for the most part, I got to be in Kindergarten for the day. 

I am a person who is in no way perfect, but it really helps me to perform well if I know what is coming and I have a schedule or outline that I have been able to spend time figuring out. The teacher I subbed for is magnificent, and had a very detailed schedule for me. My only problem was trying to decipher it while taking care of 25 five year olds. Let's be fair, some of them are six year olds! But figuring out 4 pages of instruction while trying to keep that many kids safe and focused proved to be a little rough. I think I did most of what was needed. No one was bleeding or crying when they went home....

Actually we had a pretty good morning. We had fun, we got work done, everyone went home in one piece, and I got to experience those precious souls. I felt pretty good as I walked in the door from getting kids safely to their rides, and realized I had to sanitize the whole room and then go take care of my 3rd grade lunch and recess. I am not complaining. It makes a day go by fast when you're on the move like that, and I got to enjoy it, to boot. But I had to hustle. I got the room looking quite sparkly and headed to the lunchroom, happy to see my 3rd graders. All the while I was thinking to myself, "As soon as this is over, I get to go have round two in kindergarten. I hope I'm still standing when the day is over." Ha!

Yes, I am still recovering from my little death debacle in December. It is hard for me to accept that this will be an ongoing thing for me well after Covid is gone. Once that mandate has ended,  my lungs still have to recover for a good 6-12 months sans the mask. I have to nap daily, and I am not a sleeper. I am a GOER. I like to get stuff done. Rest is good, but I hate having to do it so often. I realized I had much more ahead of me than behind me,  so I prayed I would make it. 

Moving on..... the afternoon went well. My comrades in arms helped again, and by the time my kindergarteners were ready to come in from recess, I only had 30 more minutes to get through. 

Of course, I had 4 kids crying when they came in. It was time for math, but the whole class was up in arms, telling me who had done what, screaming and crying and pointing fingers. Hysteria ensued for just a minute. When the name calling began, being me, I called a cease-fire and settled them in for a serious little life lesson in kindness. We talked and the talk was good. We learned about opposing character traits. That we all have them. That just because someone has a bad moment, it doesn't mean they are bad. It means they had a moment of a less appealing trait arise, and that there also is an opposing trait in them that is good. Sometimes these traits are at war with each other, and we have to decide which one will win. Which one we want others to remember. There were some mighty grown up thoughts that came out of the mouths of the babes in that class. It humbled me. It gave me perspective and gratitude and faith in the future. I was blessed to be in with those precious souls that day. Math wasn't as long as the lesson plans called for, but we got a lot of important work done in kindergarten. And I am grateful.