Month: June 2009

Elvis Has Left The Building

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Teacher TalesLeave a comment

After 31 years of teaching, my mom turned in her yard duty whistle in exchange for a well deserved retirement.  My step-dad invited her closest friends to join her in celebrating her devotion to children.  The house was brimming with long time friends, parents of former students, family, and Elvis.  You heard me: Elvis.  Some random Elvis impersonator, at best an acquaintance of my mom’s, was mistakenly invited by another guest.  (Social Skill Note:  It’s only okay to invite people to a party if you are the actual person throwing the party.)  Thankfully, Elvis did not sing.

As I coast into 70ish days of summer vacation, my mom steps into doing whatever she wants for the rest of her life.  No more early morning yard duty.  No more parent teacher conferences.  No more lesson plans.  No more staff meetings.  No more worrying about budget cuts.  No more calling me and talking about the funny/outrageous/heartwarming thing that happened in her classroom that day.

Sure, I can still call her and tell her about the goings on in my classroom, but I will miss the reciprocity.  My mother dreamed of being a teacher since childhood and so did I.  We have shared this beautiful profession my entire adult life and it’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that come August, only one of us will be sharpening pencils and writing out a new set of desk nametags.  I now live in a world where I teach and my mother taught and it’s kind of a lonely place.  Elvis has only just left the building and I already wish she’d come back.

Six Bucks

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Teacher TalesLeave a comment

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  Each year it is bittersweet.  Saying goodbye to my kiddos and many of their parents is tough, but, oh, how I love, love, love summer followed by a fresh start every fall.

The last day of school is also tough for my little ones.  They, too, love summer, but don’t want to leave our daily life together behind.  There are tears.  There are tight hugs around my legs and lots of tender I love you’s.  And there are gifts.

I’ve received many lovely gifts throughout the years.  Bookmarks, photos, cards, bells, books, bike stuff, and much more.  It’s the little things that mean the most to me.

Today one of my lovely families gave me flowers, a gift card to our brand new Trader Joes, and six dollars.

You heard me, six dollars.

I was a little confused by the last part and I’m sure my sweet little girl could tell because I do not possess a poker face.  At all.  So I asked her what the six dollars was for.  She smiled sweetly and said that since she is six, she wanted to give me six dollars of her own allowance.  I know she does chores to earn her allowance and understood what a generous gift she’d given.

I can say with absolute sincerity that I love each of my students and I’m proud of all the ways they’ve grown.  Even the tough kids.  Maybe especially the tough kids.  Tomorrow I know my inept poker face will reveal my true feelings.  And on our last day together, that’s exactly what I want.

Itching & Festering: Prom Q & A

On By Alicia McCauleyIn The Junk DrawerLeave a comment

A few weeks ago my friend Abby and I decided we should host an adult prom.  It’s just what it sounds like: a prom for adults.  I’ll give you a minute to let it digest.  You have questions.  I have answers.

Q: So you hosted an adult prom Saturday night?  Why on earth would you do that?

A: Why not?  What better way to spend a Saturday night?  And you thought you’d never pull that old prom dress out again.  Wrong, my friend.

Q: Did anyone else come?

A: Surprisingly, yes.  There were about 20 people all dressed up, including 1 mind-blowing plaid tuxedo.

Q: Did everyone dress up?

A: Do you really have to ask?  I can describe my prom dress in two words: zebra print.

Q: Are there pictures?

A: Of course.  We even had a real prom photographer.

Q: What did you do at the prom?

A: We had dinner at Red Robin, dancing in my backyard, and gave out crowns to the king and queen.  The highlight for me was when Thriller came up on the playlist and one girl busted out the full Thriller dance routine.

Q: What was the most surprising part of prom?

A: Well the Thriller dance was pretty fantastic, but not as surprising as waking up two days later itching and festering.  I get that this happens after prom often, but this was not that kind of itching and festering.

Q: What other kind of post-prom itching and festering is there?

A: Poison oak.  Itchy, scratchy, festering, blistering poison oak.  On my face, neck, hands, legs,  arms, stomach, and backside areas.

Q: Um, this is getting uncomfortable…

A: You’re telling me!  I’m allergic to poison oak.  I’ve spent the past few days in a Benadryl fog.  Not to mention the fact that I’m a glistening homage to hydrocortisone.

Q: Seriously, this is getting weird.  Can we go back to talking about prom?

A: You bet.  Today, as a clinic nurse was giving me a super fun shot in my nether regions, she asked “Where did you get poison oak anyway?” I pulled my pants up and replied “Prom”.

Q: Um, I have to go and do something else now.

A: Funny, that’s exactly what the nurse said.

Book Lovers

On By Alicia McCauleyIn Teacher Tales1 Comment

After school is one of my favorite times of the day.  I reflect on the happenings of the day and prepare for tomorrow.  At the end of the day I’m usually accompanied by a handful of my students from after school care.  They help sharpen pencils, organize books, clean the boards, and do any other job that garners special teacher time.

As my mom prepares to retire this year, she is passing on many of her materials to me.  This past week, I carted an overflowing box of her old books to my room and called on my little after school helpers to put them in the correct book tubs.

One of my little boys stood next to a tower of books.  He fingered each one with care and would often exclaim “Oh, Mrs. McCauley, I remember when you read us this one.  I love this book!”  As beloved stories passed through his hands, he recounted the precise time of year I’d read it to the class and something he remembered from the story.  If a book was new to him, he would stop what he was doing, plop down on the carpet, and a read a few pages.  About half an hour into this process, he asked “Mrs. McCauley, have you read all of the books in our class library?”  I smiled.  “No, not all, but I’ve read most of them.  I read many of them when I was little like you.”  He sighed “I love reading.”  I smiled “I know you do.  I do, too.”

Part of creating closure to the year is helping my students understand that when they move to second grade the current kindergarteners will be first graders.  So during the last week of school we write letters to the new first graders and prepare the classroom for them.  Today each student cleaned out their book box and placed easy readers in the boxes for next year.  As they put the books in their boxes, I heard things like “Oh, I loved this book!”  and “Mrs. McCauley, I remember when this book seemed really big and hard, but it’s so easy now!”  I smiled pleased that we had a moment together to reflect on how they’d grown as learners.

I’ve got a stack of books waiting for me this summer.  I can’t wait to sit back and dive in.  And as I do, I will smile knowing that my little book lovers are probably doing the same.