I try to listen to the teacher.....but am easily distracted.

I looked at the messy counter in the play area and was feeling overwhelmed. I knew when she walked into the classroom on Monday that she would know that I hadn’t unpacked any of the boxes that were piled all over the playroom area.  I had every intention of getting more unpacking done over the weekend, but my other life- my real life- has a way of distracting me when I leave the premises.

The move from the first grade classroom upstairs occurred during the first week of inservice. While I had hoped and prayed that I might be called to kindergarten, I was sure I would find out earlier than that.

Good luck sometimes disguises itself, and most often makes you work for it.

My pre-student teacher is an old friend of mine- the parent of a kindergartener I had taught some 10 years prior.  She is energetic, delightful, intelligent and incredibly organized.  That last trait is one I’ve often wanted.  However, I was missing the day the trait-fairy made her organizational drop.

Jane has tried to help me since the first day of school. She has unpacked an amazing amount of boxes, and moved furniture around into a configuration that makes more sense to a person with an organized brain.  And while I have to admit it was a relief to have such a great amount of help, it’s difficult to not have used your own hands to place your “stuff” right where you think it should be.

I shared with her my feeling that I wanted to finish unpacking the rest at my own pace and in my own way so that I would feel some sense of ownership and memory of where the stuff would land.  She accepted my wish with a smile and an assignment. 

I had to unpack the rest over the weekend. 

I came in on Sunday with every intention of doing just that.  I started with one box, which led me to one shelf, which led me to another cabinet, which led me to another box, which led me to another shelf, which led me back to my desk.  I sat at my desk and realized, four hours later, that it was time to go home. 

I grabbed my purse and walked to the classroom door. I turned off the lights and looked back at the playroom area feeling quite full of myself about all I had accomplished. 

And that’s when I saw it.

The messy counter in the free play area was even messier, if that was possible.   And as I turned to leave I realized that on Monday Jane was going to kick my ass.