The Day I Got Paid to Clean Glue Bottles
/I visited a place today where we all have been. I admit, I've been there many more times than most and I felt quite comfortable there. Many people would not want to go back due to unhappy memories within similar walls. I am a retired teacher and today, I taught as a substitute in the school I left last year. My reasons for retiring at age 55 were varied. The biggest one being I was TIRED. I was TIRED to my inner being of feeling like there was never enough time and I never did enough for my kids.
So anyway, today there was time. I subbed in a first grade class and because I didn't have any early morning meetings or lesson plans to finish, I was able to stand at the door as the kids came in and greet each one with a smile and a "good morning". I had plenty of time to help with a couple of coat zippers and listen to a few "last night..." stories before everyone was snuggled in at their tables with their morning work. I settled down at the teacher's desk and took attendance, lunch count, and checked to see who was staying for the "after school" program. I checked notes from parents concerning bus changes for the day and sent one little guy, who was so worried about a lost glove he hadn't even started his paper, to the office with the lunch count (and the opportunity to check on his glove).
When I looked up, I noticed a disruption of sorts. Children were making trips to the sink getting a bottle of glue from a box, going to their seats and then coming right back to repeat the whole process. Now, knowing the nature of kids, I wondered what was up. Trust me it could be any number of issues. As I started over to the sink, one boy came barreling in my direction asking, "Can I get a tissue to wipe off my glue bottle.?" I realized assistance was needed when I saw glue dripping from under the orange lid. (Being experienced, I'm quick like that.) I took his glue bottled finished removing the orange tip, got a paper clip, and immediately pushed out a large wad of dried glue from the tip. I replaced the tip, tried it out and got a gleaming smile when the thick white liquid flowed smoothly out. Now the work of a 6 year old could begin.
When I turned around, there was a line of children holding out their own clogged glue bottles. I cleaned the glue out of several that were clogged and one or two that weren't. These children were in line just to get an adult's undivided attention for 30 or 40 seconds while they had the opportunity. There is a little newspaper clipping hanging in our school that says, "Children who are loved at home come to school to learn, children who are not come to school to be loved." Even if that love comes in the form of getting your glue bottle cleaned.
When I turned back to walk among the students I realized now they were all diligently working. How frustrating for them and us when our tools won't work correctly. Now, I am in no way putting down the teacher whose room I was in. I have been where there is not enough time to meet the "insignificant" needs because there are so many demands to be met. Priorities must be set. Standards guide the day to day must do lists. Always in the back of the teacher's mind is the accountability, aka "the tests". I am mindful that all professions have stress and responsibilities. I know other jobs are hard. But, no other profession touches the lives of our most vulnerable generation like teachers. We must find a way to provide teachers time to clean the glue bottles, to keep the tools workable. She needs time to notice the boy not working and know it is because he is worried about his lost glove because she had time to talk to him as he entered the room. She had time to talk to him because she was NOT rushing in at the last minute from another meeting that accomplished nothing but documentation to cover the school system's accountability issue.
How do we do this? How do we meet the standards set before us and meet the SIGNIFICANT needs of our children? I believe the only way to meet all the needs is to lower class sizes or lower the adult child ratio by assigning teacher assistance to elementary classrooms K-6. Where will the money come from? Well now I am not sure, but if we nurtured these children as they need I can tell you that in 12 years, the money could come from what we use for prisons and rehabilitation programs. Kids need someone to care.
Today I cared enough to clean their glue bottles and it sure felt good!
