Day 2---Why? why? WHY?

Today is all about the "why?" On day two the science lesson was setting up the student science notebook and composition book. All of my fellow 6th grade teachers across the district were supposedly teaching the same lesson at the exact same time. When I was going through my lesson plans, it never dawned on me that only a handful of the 80 students would actually have the science composition book. Why would that be? It was never put on the district supply list! The students and parents didn't know to buy it. ARGH!!!!

In elementary school a teacher must be at certain places at exact certain times. Everything and I mean everything runs with honed precision down to the exact minute. This morning after calling roll and all of my children were present, I sent my attendance to the office. My classroom is outside in an old surplus WWII barracks. The outside of my building is a dull Army brown, but inside my room has been transformed into a tropical paradise. Even still, with today's "stranger danger" times, we keep our doors locked and students travel in pairs with my building key to go inside. A trip to the office is a big ordeal. My two Helpers of the Day took my attendance, well actually one would travel to the office with the attendance and the other helper would return to my room with the key. Please...they are 6th graders with a key to Ft. Knox, I mean the building, so I don't let them go very far. Several minutes later my helper returned from the long trek to the office holding my attendance in hand. "Why are you back with that?" I asked half-heartedly, "Did the office get moved from yesterday?" It was around 9:28-ish and the attendance MUST be in the office by 10:00 AM. My little helper shyly said, "You have to turn it in at 10:00 AM." I'm sure the expression of disappointment on my face showed, because this sweet little helper gave me a hug and said, "It's going to be okay." Why on Earth would my attendance not be accepted 32 minutes early? ALL of my students were present. Were more of my already 100% in attendance going to show up? Why could I not turn in my attendance? A student rescued me by handing me my Starbucks cup of Joe. Thank goodness! All is right with the world again. While changing classes at 10:28, my teacher intern came up to me and said, "I think it's past time to get your roll turned in." I knew it! I just knew it!!!! My attendance was now past due and undoubtedly I would be scolded for being tardy. I'm not sure what the punishment is for a tardy teacher's attendance...detention?

The next surprise came at recess when we found out the office decided to move the kindergarten and first grade lunches back 10 minutes. Now this might not seem like a big deal, but if no one had bothered to tell the 6th grade teachers, we would have entered the cafeteria to find little kindergartners still occupying our sixth grade seats. I have learned not to stand between a hungry 6th grader and his food. It's like a hungry bear going through a vacationer's car. The cafeteria ended up being backed up 10 minutes the entire day.

While my students were at Fine Arts time, I had a few minutes to race through some e-mails. I discovered that attendance would be done electronically starting in the morning. Why am I not overly excited about this news? In order for attendance to happen in the morning, I would need to follow a few short steps to set-up my Teacher Attendance Center. Let's get something straight. Anytime anyone says technology will only take a few minutes can immediately be translated to hours and hours of frustration. By this time in the afternoon my Starbucks is long gone and the effects are waning. Three hours of frustration, two e-mails and two colleagues later, I'm all set for tomorrow's attendance. At least my computer won't tell me "You're too early!"

I have only one question to ask, "Why is tomorrow only Wednesday?"