Snooz-a-palooz-a

Have you ever been in the middle of a lesson and thought, “I am so incredibly bored I could cry”?

And no, I’m not bored because of the kids…I’m boring MYSELF by mindlessly plowing through content in an effort to just get it all covered. Bogged down with assessment deadlines, insane amounts of professional development that takes me out of my classroom, and two units that were supposed to be finished yesterday, I have become the world’s most boring teacher.

And then I think, “I am so tired, I can’t possibly say another word.”

Today I was in the middle of a read aloud when I started thinking that I couldn’t stand the story, really had no idea what I was saying and was only reading the book because it had been suggested to me and was written in my plan book. God forbid I stray from the PLAN BOOK (ooooo!!)

Then I realized…NO ONE ELSE is sticking to the plan.

Since when was it part of the plan to dump two extra kids in my class because there isn’t a sub?

Since when was it part of the plan for an administrator to say, “I can’t be bothered with that” when asked for a copy of the absent teacher’s emergency work packet?

Since when was it part of the plan for another administrator to troop through my classroom, poking in cabinets and rifling through student work?

Since when was it part of the plan for an administrator to casually read the newspaper and sip coffee while parents drop off their children in the morning?

Since when was it part of the plan for the gym teacher to sit in a shady corner of the play yard listening to her iPod and thumbing through a magazine while forty children roll around unsupervised on scooters?

I’m fairly certain that these actions were never part of the plan. In fact, I’m also fairly certain that they are all in blatant disregard of the plan.

So in a move of sheer rebellion, I said “Screw you, plan!!” (words I don’t take lightly because I loves me some organizational tools and a nice, busy looking week filled with post it notes and multiple ink colors) and led my class in the most amazing and exciting round of oral story telling ever!

And guess what?? They loved it and were engaged in a way that reminded me why I got into teaching in the first place. I love making kids laugh and I love making them excited about school.

I feel like I’ve just burned my bra and rediscovered who I really am.