I was a puppy, pressing my nose against the screen today. Temps soared to 52 degrees, the sun was shining, the sky was a deep blue. But when I looked out at the massive snowdrifts still piled up on the playground, the fields and the parking lot, it was hard to imagine it looking any other way.
It was a curriculum writing day...doing the less glamorous behind the scenes work that most teachers really don't want to do. But for some reason still unknown to me, I actually love watching ideas unfold and concepts take shape in a frame. I can sit for an hour and ponder the perplexities of standards and essential questions, learning targets and the map itself. It's like moving the furniture and then filling the walls with pictures and carpets and little nicknacks to fill the space.
But still...
The sun's warmth waited. And I waited too.
At the end of a long day, I packed my bags and decided to take the leap of faith and throw my big old down coat over my arm. I pushed my way through the double glass doors and set my sights on the many errands I had to do before I got home.
It was then that the giddiness began to sink in...the moment just before I'd normally tense my jaw and tighten the rest of me too. The cold...that snap of wind that hits me in the face from the corner of the building each and every winter day--was gone!
The sun's warmth, and only it's warmth, settled over me, and soon I realized that all that waiting was so, so worth it! Turn the page--poof! In the blink of an eye, it was gone!
Sure, the buds and the flowers and the peepers are waiting, but for now, I'll settle for the small surprises, the lessening of winter's grip and the forward motion toward spring!
Slice of Life Challenge:
For the month of March, I'm participating in a daily writing challenge, blogging, and posting, and reading other teachers' blogs. This challenge was started by two writing teachers, and can be found at their blog each day: www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com. Feel free to join me! It's a great way to keep story threading throughout your brain each day.
4 comments:
Gael,
This is exactly how I felt today! We were able to go out to recess for the second day this week. It's the little things. I had to remind kids to keep their coats on today. I call that a good problem!
As you said, it seems mother nature turned the page.
Loved this: "Sure, the buds and the flowers and the peepers are waiting, but for now, I'll settle for the small surprises, the lessening of winter's grip and the forward motion toward spring!"
Cathy
There is something about this time of year that just makes me relax. It's the sudden change of cold to warmth. The fresh smell of spring riding the breeze of 50 to 60 degrees. I love it. Even with the testing.
I have a bit of spring fever too! The sun has been bright and the temps have been warm. I'm ready for spring break!
The greatest thing about this blogging community is to know that we are...teachers, slogging along, doing our best through the doldrums to uplift our kids--and here, when I feel like I'm just writing silly again, I see that I'm not alone at all. You guys are feeling it too! (And even with the testing, we can still separate ourselves and be happy--that helps the kids!) Have a great Thursday!
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