12 Days of Teacher Christmas

Today we’re going to talk about the miracles that walk among us: teachers.

I know, I know. This is supposed to primarily be a little blog about books and what to read and how awesome books are. But my fingers are STILL stained with different colored paint and I spent four hours at my kids’ elementary school this morning. So we’ll get back into books next week, but today is all about teachers.

If you have kids, you know how much stuff they do and learn at school. There are piles of worksheets, artsy messes, carpet readings, computer time, and – my kids’ favorites – snacks and recess. None of that gets done if they don’t have the mother of all referees: teachers. And we won’t even talk about how much I have to yell at my kids to get them to acknowledge my existance whereas our teacher says very quietly, “please clap once if you can hear me” and all kids clap immediately.

I spent 4 hours at school this morning with 3 other moms from our class, and we helped our kindergarten teacher make ornaments. We did not make thee because the kids wanted to, and we did not make these because the teacher wanted to decorate her classroom.

Nope.

We made 21 globe ornaments with the kiddos because the teacher thought it would be nice for the kids to make parents a little present. Just one more thing she is trying to do for us parents. That means none of the ornament supplies were bought through the school and our teacher was not subsidized for the cost. (Our teacher has made them in class in prior years, taking weeks to get it done, which our Room Mom realized was totally ridiculous and asked us to help.)

Our teacher was also recently asked by the district to put a STEM box in her classroom. [STEM, for those of you who have no kids, is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.] Do you think the district gave our teacher money to purchase items needed for a STEM box? Or that the district will reimburse her for whatever she spends to make this happen? Nope.

Imagine a job where everyone leaves at 3pm but you stay until 6pm. You have work to do at home in preparation for the next day or week. And instead of dealing with adults, who may present some semblance of rationality, you are stuck dealing with tiny little humans who are irrational and loud and messy.

Teacher outlook: No bad kids, just happy little classroom challenges

This is my teacher’s true sentiment about her class. It is also confirmation I would not survive as a teacher.

Seriously. Every teacher should be handed a halo on the first day of school. And they’d need a new halo every year, because most teachers would probably have it destroyed in a playground incident or give it to a kid (or 6) during the year to cheer them up.

But we’re very close to the holidays, and, in the spirit of Christmas, I present to you a twist on an old classic: 12 Days of [Teacher] Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching a smartboard in her classroom
On the second day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 2 emailed updates and a smartboard in her classroom
On the third day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the fourth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the fifth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the sixth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the seventh day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the eighth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 8 white board markers, 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the ninth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 9 packs of pencils, 8 white board markers, 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the tenth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 10 crayola markers, 9 packs of pencils, 8 white board markers, 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the eleventh day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 11 pairs of partners, 10 crayola markers, 9 packs of pencils, 8 white board markers, 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom
On the twelfth day of Christmas my teacher used for teaching 12 cups of coffee, 11 pairs of partners, 10 crayola markers, 9 packs of pencils, 8 white board markers, 7 sticks for gluing, 6 books for reading, 5 sets of scissors, 4 colored folders, 3 pink erasers, 2 hands for clapping, and a smartboard in her classroom

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