A Teacher Gets Ready For School

A Teacher Gets Ready For School

I am surrounded by shouting, defiant kids. They refuse to sit in their desks, preferring instead to swarm my desk – a few leave the room without permission, slamming the door as they leave. I am desperately searching for my stack of referrals to give to the two students who were cussing each other out, and who, now that I’ve reprimanded them, are now cussing me out!  My classroom phone doesn’t work, so backup from the office isn’t coming anytime soon. Suddenly I realize: I’m not wearing any pants!!

- it’s a classic “Teacher Dream” – the kind I start having every night starting about  2 weeks before school actually starts.  It’s the reason why I look as bedraggled as I feel the first day of school.  The dreams vary in detail, but usually the chaos, defiant teenagers, and the embarrassment of missing some article of clothing are pretty consistent.

Although I’m beginning my 13^th year of teaching – which is difficult enough for me to believe – I find it even harder to comprehend the fact that I still have “teacher dreams” (nightmares really). I’m sure there’s some deep psychological stuff going on that even a half way decent shrink could figure out, but I can’t.

What’s weird about my “teacher dreams” is that nothing even remotely close to my nightmares has ever happened in my class! Sure I’ve handed out a referral a time or two (one infamous time for “abbreviated cursing” … but that’s for a later post) but I’ve never actually been cussed out by a student, and I’ve definitely never forgotten to wear pants! By and large, through the years, I’ve been blessed with great students.  They are the reason why I’ve been able to endure almost 13 years in a job I never wanted to do, and never imagined myself doing – and still talk about leaving.  Simply put: I love my students. Perhaps that is why I have these dreams – every year my biggest fear/dread is that THIS is the year the shoe is going to drop. THIS is the year when I get the students from hell – the uncontrollable class. My luck has run so far – every year I’m worried this is the year it all changes.

So far, that fear has been unfounded (as most fears usually are). And now, I’ve got 1 week to go till I meet the new crew – 1 week of heart pounding, sleep invading “teacher dreams” to go. Luck, be a Lady this year!