Exhausting Monday

Today. Was. Exhausting.

Today was one of those days that started out with a nice clean desk, all organized and situated. Pens were put away, books were neatly stacked - then suddenly BAM! Lunch came and went and my desk looked like a tsunami hit - papers flying everywhere, pens, markers, sticky notes scattered about - with checklists and reminders strewn about. I couldn't recover until after 3:01pm when all the students stampeded out of my classroom (in full volume, mind you), racing to their lockers to catch the bus ride home.

When I came home, I had blue fingertips from those "washable" overhead project markers.  Washable..I think not. What "washable" really means is that you need to go take a bath and soak off that soluble ink because your day was just way too crazy. And ya know what? I'm fine with that. It means I put a hard days work and I literally got my hands dirty while endlessly tiring over my students. And I say that's pretty good!

But after all that, I had a great inspirational moment in one of my classes that was precious beyond words. A moment that made my tsunami hit desk and marker blue fingertips all worthwhile. During today's silent reading time, I sat at my desk reading along with my students. (That's one thing that I love, setting a good example and reading right a long with them - especially when they inquire about the book I'm reading to see if I like it or not.) Towards the end of reading time, I began scanning the rows of chairs to see which students had properly brought all their materials to class and were on-task reading as well as the students who weren't prepared at all. When I came across a sweet girl named Rachel, tucked away in the back of her row. She's the kind of student that teachers wish to have a million of. As she read her novel, her facial expression was priceless. Plastered on her face was a grin from ear to ear. I quickly scanned all the rest of the students to make sure everyone was prepared, then my gaze went right back to her. Suddenly she clasped one hand over her mouth still smiling - trying to contain her laughter and utter disbelief from whatever was happening in her book.

I'll never forget that precious sight. I couldn't help but smile for the remainder of silent reading time as I engulfed myself back into my own book. I'm going to have to ask her how she likes her book tomorrow.

Did I mention, I love my job?

Now..about getting that marker off my fingers...