You know you're a young teacher when..

Tell tale signs that you're a young teacher 
(you've been one or maybe this never ends!)

1. When there's free food in the faculty room you RUN. 

• Whether you have a decent salary or not, as teachers we run when we hear there's free food.  Drop the grading, the emails, whatever.. and you're off to feast.  I think that's how most of us probably put on some pounds our first year teaching.  It doesn't happen often but when it does, you'll break a sweat to make sure you get to the food!

2.  You've got the 18 minute lunch down pat

• 18 minutes either while walking around doing lunch duty, when having to heat up your food for 4 minutes, or having to grade, plan, and chat with kids in your room at the same time.  Who am I kidding, 18 minutes to eat in peace.. that's a teacher's dream!  

3.  You ask yourself daily why politicians are in charge of education 

• While planning, completing, and crying over every assessment, showing growth, and endless paperwork you ask yourself daily why politicians are in charge of education.  Why are people that have never taught making these dumb regulations?  I'd love to see them in my inclusive room of 31 kids with clay, lots of sharp objects, and lots of "personalities".  

4.  You've had a wardrobe malfunction

• You either fell up the stairs, causing your skirt slit to go all the way up your back end, your button popped off, or your zipper just won't stay up on your pants.  You either had to find a hideous cover up, you pray no kid notices, or you teach from your desk.  

5.  You have to double check you don't look too much like a teacher when going out

• Going out with your group of guys or gals, put on some clothes and you have to think to yourself do I look like "Miss Elementary" or "Mr. Middle School".  No one wants to walk up to the bar, order a round of shots, and the guy next to you asks where you teach.  Sometimes we want to be sure we can leave our "teacher identity" behind.  

6.  You ask yourself daily if you get paid enough  

• You wonder if you get paid enough to break up fights, to do other people's work, to counsel kids on top of teaching, to be a part of multiple clubs or organizations, to take home work (both mental and physical), and to be this exhausted. 

7.  You are ten times more excited about a snow day

• The kids think they're excited to have a day off school... nope!  Their excitement is nothing compared to a teacher's excitement.  Not having to brush your hair, put on a bra, or real pants are just the beginning of the awesome things!  You can feel like a stay at home wife, stay at home dad, or a college student all over again.. the amount of productivity is insane!  But it's all up to you whether you want to be productive or not, and that's the glory of it. 

8.  You'd rather have snot running down your nose than make sub plans 

• But seriously though, there's a reason I've never taken a sick day.  No one wants to write detailed sub plans, with seating charts, etc.  It's harder than writing the actual lesson plan itself.  And forget about your room making it.. it always seems to look like a tornado came through when you return.  So we tough it out and just come, feeling like crap, just to avoid the horrible dark cloud of sub plans.  

9.  You've walked into a meeting, store, or gym in ridiculous clothes because of a spirit/theme day

• Between wacky tacky, a halloween costume, or throwback day you've walked into a public establishment in a ridiculous outfit, hoping that people assume you're a teacher and not insane.  And yes, maybe even a bar in a onesie for an after school happy hour.  

10.  You were asked to prom or to dance more times then you were back in your day

• So you were chaperoning a middle school dance, who would've thought you'd be asked to dance more times at this one, than at your own middle school dance.  Or you teach at the high school level and you've been asked to prom multiple times.  Lookin' good folks!  (but no thanks!)  

11.  When you have a teacher happy hour planned, you get out of school faster than the kids  

• You've ran, or walked extremely fast out to your car because all you want is that cold draft beer, shark tank, or that fresh margarita after a long day.  And yes, we've all had a countdown until you were sitting at the table, drink in hand, surrounded by your favorite coworkers complaining about all things under the school roof.  

12.  You love the dollar spot at Target

• Target in general sucks ya in.. but that dollar spot is amazing!  There's always something there you can find between chalkboards, planners, clips, worksheets, and more.  It's so easy to drop an easy $30 at the target dollar spot alone.  And it just makes your room so cute!

13.  The copy machine always seems to be down when you have serious last minute copying to do

• It's Monday morning and you've got some last minute copies to make, crucial to your lesson, and of course the copy machine is down.  Big ol' sign just putting your day to a major halt.  And that's when your power of winging it comes into play!  

14.  You learn the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

• Whether you coached a team, had a parent teacher conference, or attended a school function we learn very quickly that normally the apple does not fall far from the tree- normally that crazy apple kind. (or even the super sweet, normal apple)

15. You believe in some superstitions

• You're driving into work and notice how beautiful the moon looks.  Beautiful, big- holy cow it's a full moon!  Then you check the date, and it's Friday the 13th.  On the same day... get ready because the animals inside your students are comin' out.  The full moon and Friday the 13th are bad enough but when they land on the same day.. you're in for a day you'll never forget.  Maybe those sub plans don't sound so bad right now...  

I wish you the best in the last few months of the school year.  Let's just remember to laugh- whether at ourselves, the kids, or laugh because you don't want to cry!

leave the"eh" behind

hugs,

abi