Teacher Work Day

Many years ago, my Mom gave me some wise advice.  I was  around 12 years old and was struggling with a math story problem.  When my Mother tried to help me, I yelled that the problem didn't make sense.  She calmly explained that it must have made sense to the author and that just because I didn't understand it, didn't mean that it didn't make sense.  Obviously, the error rested with me!  My Mother then explained that it would be more appropriate for me to say that I didn't understand.  Of course, she was right.  I've never forgotten the sage advice.  I've shared it with Cassie and with many of my students. 

Teacher work days are one of those things that I simply don't understand.  Way back when, someone needed to come up with a title for the days when teachers work without students present.  Thus, the name "teacher workday" became institutionalized.  Of course, we teachers work hard every day, and night and weekend.  The implication that we have designated days to work is a bit insulting!  I'm working on a more appropriate name, such as, "Teacher Rest Day."  (Yeah, so what would you call a day with no students?  "Teacher Celebration Day" might not be too popular with parents.)

At any rate, today was a Teacher Celebration Day for Cassie and Lacey.  Because I'm in another county, I had to work.  Les was all too happy to stay home with the girls.  Last night, he informed the girls that everyone would sleep in, and he was true to his word.  I was happy that he was home.  I was free to leave very early and, therefore, would be able to leave work early.   I've finally started to feel healthy again.  Seriously.  After having multiple biopsies and other less pleasant procedures performed, the doctors have found no cause for my severe anemia.  This is actually good news.  And, I'm feeling so much better that I decided to make my first trip to the swimming pool in over six months.

All day long I thought about how great it would feel to be back in the pool.  I am by no means a great swimmer, just a happy recreational one.  I love the peace and quiet that surround the pool - just me, quietly stroking through the water.  And, maybe I'd be able to squeeze in a few relaxing moments in the jacuzzi.. . .

When I arrived at the pool, I had to wait in line behind half a dozen juveniles.  Shouldn't you kids be in school?  Then, as I made my way toward the stairs, I was engulfed by a stream of elementary kids headed to the library.  The locker room was full of moms, little boys and not so little boys.  Come on - there's got to be an age limit.  The pools were full of screeching, splashing kids. Ah, geez!  Teacher workday!  How could I have been such an imbecile?

 

Okay,  let's remember that the glass is half full.  This unexpected crowd was not going to erode my peaceful swim!  The lifeguard chased the kids out of lap lane, so that I could use it.  And, the ancient geezers who usually pepper me with comments like, "If I felt as good as you looked, I'd be in great shape," were distracted by the noise from the kids.  I had a great swim.  The "runner's high" even kicked in.  I exited the pool feeling so great that I didn't care that I'd forgotten my conditioner, comb and blow dryer. 

As I turned into our pipestem, the girls came racing toward my car, side by side.  I stopped so that I could watch and enjoy them.  They were grubby and laughing and panting as they ran and pushed at each other in their efforts to reach me first.  What kind of love must inspire a kid to just run like that, full force, without inhibitions, toward a waiting parent?  I must be doing something right.  That glorious image of the girls is now etched on my brain.  Even the 15 inch, black crayon "X" that Lacey left for me on the kitchen floor couldn't mar the beauty of this teacher workday.

Look!  No jackets!