The Life of a First Year Teacher

I was heating up my potato latkes for my lunch and went to the restroom for 1.5 minutes while they were heating up. Mind you, this is something that I do every single day. I return and the microwave is smoking- I freak out, open the window and sprint back to the room we each lunch in. Call the office and they are like, "Oh it must be the crumbs..." I'm like, "No seriously, the school fire alarm is definitely going to go off." I go back to the room with the microwave, unplug the monstrosity and open the door to air out the room. The school fire alarm starts go off.

Haven't had the experience of a modern-day school fire alarm? Let me describe this for you...

There is a fire alarm attached to the wall about every 8 feet. The alarm itself is is extremely loud and ear-piercing...the kind of noise that makes your heart start racing and gives you the chills. The alarms are, of course, complete with white flashing lights. Every set of doors in the hallways automatically close and lock from the outside. All 750 12-, 13-, and 14-year olds, teachers, administators, custodians, and lunch ladies file out of the building. Outside, it is raining and approximately 50 degrees. We are outside shivering for 12 minutes before we hear any sirens.

When we are finally summoned in, my principal does not look happy. I assume that it is because of me. Although, I am sure some of his annoyance was due to my flaming lunch, he also informs me that he had to call the fire department himself because they were not coming. Our alarm singal was apparently not reaching the station and they would have never come if he didn't call them.

Don't have the pleasure of knowing how kids react when their regular schedule is disrupted?

We return to fifth period, shivering and wet and it takes twice the regular amount of time to get the kids refocused. Meanwhile, the 200 kids in first lunch return to the lunch room. A food fight ensues and the 3 adults that monitor the lunchroom are unable to regain control. Numerous kids receive detention and some are suspended. Lunch is extended which means that 5th period, already a longer period (over an hour), is extended for another 15 minutes. During passing time, the kids are outrageous, screaming and pushing each other around. Since then, 2 fights have broken out. A student also managed to somehow crack the chair off a desk. I asked another teacher how the student was able to accomplish that and she responded with, "Ummm, I don't know, I guess he was stomping on it... "

This is, my friends, the life of a first year teacher...