A game of Skip-Bo

Today was "Report Card Pick-Up/Parent-Teacher Conference" Day. And my, it was the best one yet.

I usually spend my time on these days cleaning, trying to get ahead, trying to catch up, putting away old worksheets from the last nine weeks (filed away somewhere that I won't be able to find later when I need them), organizing what-not, putting up posters, etc. I did do a bit of that (my metal cabinet rocks!) yet I actually let myself take a break, thanks to a Spanish teacher across the way who asked me to play Skip-Bo. So that's what we did...me and her and Mr. H. and Coach B. and Ms. H. We had the perfect table- a teacher's desk. Coach B. would laugh and laugh about anything and Ms. H. would make funny comments and try to continuously draw after she had already started her turn. Numerous teachers walked by saying, "Y'all are having a party in here," with jealousy in their voice. Coach J. came in later, only making it that much more competitive. Such a range of personalities, so freaking hilarious. Students walked by and came in "to speak" and I could tell they thought it was a little funny that all of us were playing cards with such enthusiasm. Later on in the day, we even got Ms. R. to play, who is known by her students for being strict and having little personality. But we have learned that it is only an act, and deep down she'd been wanting to play with us all day. She got caught by another veteran teacher, who saw her and exclaimed, "They got you too! I've got to take a picture of this!" I did feel like I was going to get in trouble all day.

That's the best thing about this year. I really feel like I have developed a camaraderie among many of the teachers. They are all competent, caring people, some perhaps better trained to teach their areas, some better with classroom management, others who are really meant to only be coaches and not teachers, but in some capacity or another they really do care about what matters the most- the students. We all, together, get tired of the same things that go wrong every day, every week, every year. We talk about the crazy decisions that are made, about the the corruptness, the disorganization, the students getting away with murder. And somehow, like anything in life, it makes it better to know you're not in it alone.

I haven't decided where I'll be next year. I have known I will be teaching next year, but I have changed my mind back and forth between Indiana and Mississippi...and now whether to stay put or change schools here. After today, I'd say I can handle one more year. For some reason this evening I feel empowered...I want to put new labels on the teachers' boxes so we can actually use them again, help do scheduling over the summer, demand that I teach classes I actually want to teach, find computers so that all teachers can have one in their classroom...I know this feeling will pass as I get bogged down with my own work, but I know what others know now. Our school has the potential to be so much better than it is. The problems start at the top in central office, and they snowball all the way down. It helps to communicate with each other, and it helps me to hear how others handle it. It is through the relationships I have made that I believe I have and will become a better teacher.