When does one decide that it is acceptable dismantle a classroom. The jury is still out on this one. Is it acceptable to push up the date for destruction when there are mitigating factors, like the closing of one's school? I for one would like to think it changes nothing. Yep I'm that super optimist that believes that children should get the "full experience" up until the very last minute. Of course I would also be that teacher that would be packing until the next millennium too, right? It's certainly a duplicitous dilemma!
For a moment now, let's examine what it really means to pack up and prepare a school for its destruction. It means taking all of your curriculum (Teachers Edition books and what not for the lay people) inventorying it and then giving it to someone else to inventory. It means prompting students to make their way through a labyrinth of grade signs and masking tape pathways to find the correct place to put their text books. It also means figuring out how to pack your vomitroucious collection of the dreaded "things and stuff". You see what many people don't know is that these professional moving companies have tools of the trade. So they tell you, if it is going to spill put it into one of our idiot proof boxes. Idiot proof boxes that are so small that many things will be too tall to fit inside. your next choice? The blessed Gondola. Now when hearing about this one, most would think that the teacher gods have created a blessed tool to move you to and fro between your room and the packing room. Although I must admit, I can crawl onto one of those myself I have yet to find a student I would trust to transport me. Really, they are random rolling shelves with a pretty name. Apparently the grand finale of tools and apparatuses will come in the next few days so keep tuned for details!
The best part is that districts really do work hard to plan ahead. Yes, they want all of your "things and stuff" to end up in the correct place. So, they would greatly appreciate it if you affixed a handy dandy colored label onto all of your items, the boxes, gondolas, etc. Theses puppies are even color coded for those visual learners! Unfortunately they are also meant to have the schools that you and your colleagues will be assigned. Hmmmm.....if only they knew where that was. Yes so there in lies another issue. Do you pack and keep all of these items (Gondola and all) in your classroom until the bloody color-me-happy labels arrive? Or do you wait for fear the one thrill seeker in your class will use the Gondola as a mode of transportation down the hall in a lovely game of Bowling for First Graders? Hmmmm decisions, decisions. Yes this year will not end in the normal craziness, its a whole new kind of crazy for those blessed teachers at the closing school.
No comments:
Post a Comment