Valentine's Day is one of those school days where elementary school teachers deserve hazardous duty pay. Today was the last day of school before Winter Break and this, combined with the giddy atmosphere of a class party day and wildly spiraling sugar highs made for some seriously delirious short people.
I walked into Bug's class to help set up for their class party. The classroom was abuzz with excitement, as the kids flitted desk-to-desk delivering Valentines. I opened the containers of cookies, cupcakes, sliced fruit, and doughnut holes sent in by their parents. Table by table, the teacher sent them to fill their plates.
Shockingly, some children actually took fruit. (Note: not my kid).
I watched one little boy survey his paper plate of goodies with the seriousness of an Iron Chef competitor. He pushed up the sleeves of his sweatshirt and moved one hot-pink frosted cupcake to the center of the plate. From his stack of Valentine candy, he selected a packet of Fun-Dip, tore open the top, and poured the acid-green sugar powder onto the cupcake. He paused and considered his next step, then delicately flicked four candy hearts into the frosting. Finally, he placed a single doughnut hole atop this confection, using his thumb to mash it in firmly. With equal measures of awe and revulsion, I watched him peel off the wrapper and savor every bite.
He caught my eye and grinned happily. Sticking out his tongue, he called, "Hey, Mrs. M.! What color is my tongue?"
And THAT is why teachers deserve higher pay.
5 comments:
So do parents ]deserve more pay]
Anonymous is Grandpa. He is trying to figure how to post his comments all by himself :-) His first comment is somewhere in cyber space.
Funny. I can picture a whole bunch of kids I know who would do that!
When I was a teacher, I always had to go out for happy hour after class party days. Thank you for the sympathy!
I used to teach as well, but at the high school level. I don't have the patience/energy level to deal with the younger ones!
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