Life sometimes seems just a little different in a elementary school.... little things can, at times, be Amazing! Astonishing! Awe inspiring! and big things can be shrugged off, who cares, no big deal.
Take today for example....today, in the middle of reading workshop, it started to snow. SNOW! You'd think this particular group of kids had never before witnessed snow. Now, granted, it's the first sign, HINT even, of snow this whole winter. All work came to a screeching halt. There were cheers! Frantic clapping of hands! Jumping up and down! Two boys even hugged- twice! Then, of course, inevitably, came the stories and the rumors and the old wives tales-- all having to do with getting a snow day. Turn your shirt backwards! And inside out! Sleep with your pj's backwards and inside out! Put a frozen spoon under your pillow! A plastic frozen spoon! Do a snow dance! Three times!
I was patient at first. Even clapped along with them. Allowed them to rush to the windows and gape for awhile....how could I not really, with floor to ceiling window all along one wall, it's unavoidable. Even read them a section of a book we'd read before, My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray, about doing a special snow dance....but twenty five minutes later and my patience wore out. There were assessments to be done and small groups to instruct and conferences to be completed. No more time for snow, back to work! Fortunately, it stopped snowing and life returned to a somewhat more peaceful pace. With frequent furtive glances out the windows of course. And a goodbye from a student that consisted of, "I hope I DON'T see you tomorrow....because we have a snow day!"
5 comments:
Holy cow I'd totally forgotten about the sleeping with your pjs inside out and backwards and what-have-you to increase the chance of a snowday. Thanks for that reminder.
I most definitely remember how GREAT it was to wake up and see snow falling and running downstairs to hear Mom tell us school was cancelled (and I also remember how sad it was to wake up and see grass on the lawn and not piles and piles of white stuff)
I'm hoping for a snowday myself soon...it doesn't seem right to NOT have one!
I understand the time crunch for conferences and assessments and to-do lists. Still, I firmly believe that teachers wish for snow days just as much as kids. There were days, in fact, that I am certain I wished for it harder than all my 23 ten-year olds combined. And how nice that for snow days this year, you and your husband get to stay home and be insulated from the world together!!
~ Ness ~
We have been severely lacking in snow days this year. By this time last year we had already had two snow days and two flood days...
Then again, last year we went to school almost until July, so I guess it's a tradeoff.
I couldn't believe it when we actually had a snowday. All four years of high school not one snow day, and I even went to school in Chicago! But now I'm in college and we have two snow days in a row! It was pretty strange to me to be honest.
I think its funny that such a simple thing like snow coming down can be cause for a pause in the day. Even at school while we teach students, sometimes it's a good thing to have a break from the daily routine.
I can definitely see this happening in an Elementary school setting. I think that snow is a big deal to kids because it does not snow that often; well at least as much as it used too. I like how you handeled the situation, reading the students a book about a snow dance and letting them look out the window. I think this helps build your relationship with your students. But as soon as you all had fun you got right back to working. The students were probably more focused because they were thinking that there would be no class tomorrow. Snow days can be exciting; even in college we all still pray for them! When I am a teacher I am sure I will still be praying for them too!!
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