Hall pass hell

It was just another amazingly frustrating day at work! 

Want to know how to make a teacher’s day suck?

1. Have a power outtage on the main road on the way to the highway.  Allow us to sit there for 45 minutes until we could finally get to the highway. In addition, have another car crash happen in front of my car, because both people were hoping to “sneak” around the traffic by using the turning lanes. It made me even more late, but it was karmic revenge.  In the end, I was on time to work with one whole minute to spare….instead of my normal 35.  Really threw my whole day off.

2. Have a kid feel sick.  Usually not a big deal…send him to the clinic.  I sent him, then he was sent back. Okay, that sometimes happens.  Then the kid starts throwing up in my class. Eeeww!  Send him back to the nurse, with a pass that says he was vomitting.  Kid was sent back to class…with a pass that said he was not getting sick.  At this point, I’m wondering if I should render proof. I certainly could.  I had to leave the class to sort this whole thing out.  Apparently his pops said that without a fever, the kid was not going home. Neat. Give me the flu.

3. Run into an issue with another teacher over bathroom passes.  Here’s what I sent out:

Hello,

Thank you for correcting my procedure with the restroom passes. I know that other teachers use things like Frisbees or other generalized bathroom passes. I was doing the same. If that’s against the rules, then I will correct my procedure.  Of course, you know that the general bathroom pass is done for ease of the teacher and a lack of disruption.  It certainly takes less time to give them a pass like mine, then to write out an individual pass. But again, if it’s not okay, then I will stop.
 
Next time though, please let me know in private. I was very embarrassed to have you walk into my silent classroom and rebuke me like a child. I feel that was terribly unprofessional. My students began laughing and were surprised at your actions.

I then received an email that stated that she was simply stating a fact and not rebuking me. This is the part where someone should say, “Oh geez! Sorry!” and the issue would have been dropped. So I responded with a:

Ma’am, the fact of the matter is you came into my silent classroom, told me exactly what to do and left. I felt like you were very disrespectful with it. Had you talked to me in private, I would be absolutely fine. Because you are correct. I was wrong with my use of passes and I have changed my procedure. But with you walking in and telling me about the hall passes, my students began laughing and talking about this interaction. Despite your intentions, I was very embarassed by it. 

I didn’t receive any response.  My frustration was pretty overwhelming.  Our school looks at her actions as a, “oh well. That’s how she is.”  Somehow that doesn’t excuse it.  My students, in reality, were pissed.  The teacher stomped out and they all turned to me and started with the, “Miss! You better get her!  She can’t do that”  etc, etc.  It was nice to see that I had their support, of course I calmed them and tried to explain how sometimes we only know part of what someone is going through and also that it’s always better to remain respectful.  Heh, I’m not sure they listened though. They saw my red face and I kept hearing whispers of, “ooo Miss is angry!”  Oh well, I certainly tried to teach them right.

The day just continued on with little irritations throughout the rest of the day. I had three commitments after school, so I bounced back and forth for the time. Uck!  Ultimately I ended up eating 5 snickerdoodle cookies, 1 1/2 blueberry donuts and nachos.  I made itall the way home before I had a good cry and readied myself to face another glorious day.