Vent

As the author of this blog I have decided that I am entitled to write about whatever I want. This means from time to time I reserve the right to just vent. Let it all out, tell you what I really think about STUFF in my world. Like every other average day to day worker there are times when I just have had have enough. Today was that day.

Vent:
Why is my classroom expected to be the location of a child's birthday party?

Don't get me wrong, I am a confetti and streamers kinda gal. I like celebrations. If you were to come to my home you would have no problem guessing what holiday is happening next. Eggs, bunnies, trees, glitter, flags, ornaments, blow-ups, pop-outs whatever visualizes the moment...I got it!

But a school is different.

School is a place where little people come, with tender hearts and feelings, and they wear them not very well covered, on their sleeves. It is a place where people of all faiths, including the ones who do not celebrate holidays and birthdays, gather for one purpose-education. School is a place where people of all beliefs, colors, sexes and whatever else you want to add to my list that can divide, segregate or make us different as humans, come together to help the next generation of learners succeed.

It is not, however, home.

Why the vent today? Because one darling cried all yesterday morning when they thought mommy forgot to bring the donuts for their birthday celebration. Their day was lost, even after phoning home and they discovered that mommy was to bring them the NEXT day. Once this travesty was resolved with mommy coming to school to pass out the goodies...today I hear, that this sugarfest for the classroom was not the only hoopalah for my little darling. No, tonight there will be a party for the family, with another wizbanger on Sunday for the same kids who got the donuts today! Yet, I ended up with a crying STUDENT for one full day who also affected the learning of all the other STUDENTS around him for one full day.

I could go on forever about this topic.

Like, the grandfather who promised lunch for the entire class and ended up bringing 1 medium pizza for my classroom of 37. Dear God were those kids terrific, not complaining but certainly rather baffled, as I was cutting that poor pizza into shoestrings and reminding them to say "Thank You".

Or the father who, in the middle of our math test, "dropped-in" and "dropped-off" an ice cream cake, no plates, forks, cutting utensil-nada. He told me he just figured I had everything here and left.

What about the poor children who do not celebrate holidays? Sometimes they don't know-can they eat the food, drink the drink, sing the song? And the food allergies (they seem rampant now days)? Not to mention the poor child on the "ketosis" diet who wasn't allowed to eat ANYTHING except high fatty foods to stop her seizures.

From a parent's perspective I understand the need to do something special for your child on the day of their birth. From a teacher's perspective I see 37 days of potential catastrophes, like yesterday.

Breathe in, breathe out. Relax.

Now I have "vented". I feel the breeze of a new tomorrow. Thank you for letting me return to my work able once again to enjoy.