Off the Hook

Yesterday as I was teaching my second class, several struggled to stay awake.

Can I just say that kids sleeping in class is one of my greatest pet peeves? I work hard to keep my classes interesting. I'm not one of those teachers who stands up at the front and likes to hear myself talk. Now don't get me wrong. Sometimes I tell stories or elaborate a bit more than I should...but I definitely try to be aware of my audience so that I don't bore them to tears...or sleep--as the case may be.

And so I said, "Clifford, stay awake! Sit up!" And he struggled to open his eyes as he sat up a little straighter in his desk.

Thomas said, "Mrs. Seals, it's not that we don't like your class. It's just that it's the last class of the day. We're tired."

"I know," I said empathetically, and meaning it. I mean, it's almost 3:00 and these kids have been going strong since 8:00. Their days are filled with activity from morning 'til night. By the time I get them, it's like pulling teeth to get anything out of them. They give me pat answers; they lack enthusiasm regardless of how hard I try to find an engaging topic; they beg to get out early. It's the worst time slot for teaching that I've ever experienced.

And so, as the class and I had a discussion about how tired they are by the end of the day and how frustrating it can be from my angle to try to engage them, my iPad, which I was holding as I was showing them something on the big screen and using Apple TV to do it, decided to try acrobatics and did a flip off of my magnetic keyboard that keeps it in place right onto the floor...

and shattered.

You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

"I just broke my iPad," I said.

My kids were so empathetic as several have broken their screens. "It's okay, Mrs. Seals," one of them piped up. "Mr. Ratzlaff knows how to fix it. But he doesn't have any more screens at the moment." (How did he know that??)

And so, class continued. We went back to discussing how to do a demonstration speech by looking at various things on the big screen via my shattered iPad. I veered my finger away from the bottom of the screen as little shards of glass pricked my finger when I got too close. The cracked glass began a spider web that threatened to take over my screen any moment.

Finally, my students were busily working together in groups on a project that would take awhile and so I sneaked down to Mr. Ratzlaff's office to face my fate. "If it makes you feel any better, I broke a screen once, too," he said sympathetically, and then told me he would order a new screen and let me know when it arrived.

And so now here I sit, peering through the cracks in the screen to see the words before me. But that's okay. A new screen is on its way.

Whew! Off the hook.

Later that afternoon, Jace ran in and said he was going to play basketball, his beloved sport. And so off he went around 6:00 and I thought nothing about it. Nevermind that it's Monday. Nevermind that 6:30 is looming.

I was skyping a friend of mine, chattering away about nothing, laughing, mindless of the world outside of my broken iPad and my friend on the other side...when a car pulled into my driveway and honked three times. Jace jumped out and flew in. "Mom! Pathfinders!!"

Oh. My. Gosh.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!?!

"Gotta go!" I said to my friend, pushing "end" simultaneously. (Poor thing. She probably still wonders what in the world is going on at the Seals home.) And so, as it was now 6:37 and we are late, I began screaming, "Jace! Get your shirt on! Jace! Hurry up! We're Late! JACE!!! Where are you?? J-A-C-E!!!!!!!!"

"MOM! Stop Screaming! I'm thirsty!!"

He was in the kitchen guzzling water.

"We don't have time to get a drink! Get your shirt on! Get out in the car! Let's Go!! Bring the water with you!!! HURRY!!!!"

I flew out the door to the car, honked like a crazy woman, until at last Jace came out, still gulping water, and not moving nearly fast enough for me.

But...we got there just as they were lining up to head to the field up at the grade school for a game of kickball.

We made it.

Thank you, Laurie, for reminding me. If it wasn't for you, I would have once again forgotten about Pathfinders. I have lost my brains. But thankfully? You haven't.

And so, for the second time that day, I was...off the hook.

Whew!