Christmas break has come for me as today was my last day. And I had THE BEST day with these kids. Have I mentioned my deep and abiding love for them yet?
I was a fun teacher and did that whole dang elf on the shelf thing. I toned it WAY down this year and it was genius. I moved him each morning and he remained there for the whole day. Every day he would write the class a letter, ask them two questions, and I would make the kids write him back and ask him more questions. I would read their letters and answer as many questions as I could each time and voila!
Teach kids how to write friendly letters. Check.
Christmas is an exhausting time for teachers, but it means so much for the kiddos. One of my pumpkins doesn’t have a tree at home or get to do much at home for Christmas. He absolutely loved all the fun things we did at school. When he had to write about what his favorite thing about Christmas, he wrote about his happy class being his favorite part of Christmas. So basically I can now die an accomplished woman.
This past week and a half has been a struggle. I have been battling some sort of cold. My students are dropping like flies and it is like a never ending rotating door of kids being absent with fevers and the like.
I had to snap a picture of my desk yesterday when I realized I had entered full blown survival mode.
Cold and flu meds wrappers. Chocolate from a Christmas gift from a kiddo that I snuck before officially opening the gift. And a very bare-bones planning book.
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Australian Chick Humorous Incident of the Day:
We were working on math. She had made an error and went to erase it.
Australian chick: Teacher! My pencil is missing its rubber!
Me: Say what?
Australian chick: Teacher! I need a rubber!
Me: Why?
Australian Chick: So I can fix my paper!
Me: Ohhhhhh. An eraser?
Australian Chick: In Australia we do not call them erasers. We call them rubbers.
Me: Sweet!
And I would like everyone to know the rubbers on pencils are the bane of all teacher’s existence. Because they are never secured atop the pencil.
Oh! I have a bathroom pass system that involves clothespins. They have to clip one to their shirt before they leave and one on their name.
Australian Chick outside at recess: Teacher!
(She still does not have any idea what my name is)
Teacher! I forgot to return my peg!
Me: Your what?
Australian Chick: Peg!
Me: Hmmmm?
She points to it.
Me: Oh! The clothespin.
She looked at me like I was an insane, crazy person. And rightfully so.
Australian Chick: In Australia we call them pegs.
Me: I am sure they do.
Alright! Tomorrow is surgery day! Looking forward to a few days in bed. Hope it doesn’t hurt too badly.
For the love. I forgot to move that darn Elf again for the last day with the sub.
Happy Thursday!
Hope the surgery went well and you are feeling much recovered!
Being a Brit, I had forgotten that your title would raise eyebrows. And peg is so much easier to say than clothespin!