I Survived...Barely!

Seriously, the person who schedules parent-teacher conferences on Halloween week obviously is NOT a primary teacher.  In fact, they probably aren't even in a classroom with children of any age for that matter.

I won't go into the unmentionable things that the teachers in my building would like to do to this person or persons.  But I recall hearing something about slowly pulling out fingernails and toenails.  And that was one of the kinder unmentionables.

It was a rough week, let me tell you.

Monday the kids were wild!

Tuesday the kids were even more wild!!

By Wednesday, I don't even think the kids in my class were human.  They were more like the Dementors from Harry Potter sucking the very life out of me.

Image this is me . . .

If I'd been able to scream you would have heard it no matter where you live.  But I couldn't.  I didn't have enough energy for that even.

To top it off, my birthday is on Halloween.  Yeah, I know.  When I signed up for the teaching program in college someone should have said, "Oh, I see your birthday is on a holiday.  You are not allowed into the teaching profession for your own sake.  Sorry.  Next!"

I may have mentioned before that having a Halloween birthday was great as a kid.  Not so as a teacher.  My birthday wish has never come true.  Calm kids.  I know you aren't supposed to tell your birthday wish but since it has never come true yet I think I'm safe.

Every year, EVERY year, the darlings ask me what I'm going to be for Halloween.  The answer is always the same . . . a tired, grouchy teacher.  Then they ask what I'm going to wear.  I point to myself from head to toe and say "You're lookin' at it!"

Don't get me wrong.  I love Halloween.  It's fun.  It's frivolous.  It involves imagination.  And I don't plan on being a tired, grouchy teacher for it.  It just happens slowly, day by day, minute by minute.  And having conferences the day after doesn't help.

Halloween should be on the last Saturday of October so that everyone can have fun and not worry about getting enough sleep or eating too much candy, etc.  Parents would appreciate it, kids would appreciate it, neighbors would appreciate it, and trust me so would teachers.

Valentine's Day should probably be on a Saturday too.

That way we could have our little celebrations on Friday afternoons and go home to sleep it off for a few days.  I know it sounds like a hangover but, trust me, it's worse!

But that's just my opinion.  What's yours?