Start Your Day

Each morning begins with two very important details:  who's here and what do you want to eat for lunch.  That's it.  After we're done with those two things, the rest of the day is downhill.

I take attendance by carefully scanning the room and looking for the empty chairs.  With twenty-seven students you would think it to be an easy task.  It's about as clear cut as trying to catch your shadow on a partly cloudy,  blustery day.  At any given moment of the morning, there could be one student off to the office to drop off the latest and greatest in fundraiser packets, another could have deep issues with cramming an entire wardrobe into their locker and struggling with the door staying shut under the pressure, and a third child could easily be snagged by another for a quick will you play with me at recess chat before the day gets underway.  After my scan of the room, I typically follow it with, "Has anybody seen...?"  

The second item of the day is a bit more complicated.  I have to share the 'lunch choices' for the day.  This to would seemingly be an easy task, but you have to account for the moans and groans that certain foods bring about.  For example, the breaded pork patty receives the coveted name of the dread pork fatty, while the turkey deli wrap is figuratively transformed into the jerky smelly wrap.  Kids are very creative when it comes to school lunch choices.  Aside from the various nicknames they share amongst themselves, they feel the need to tell me why they dislike a certain choice over another and what their parents seem to think about the caloric content.  All of which gets filed under my uh huh expression.  Once we move past the pleasantries, it's on to decision making:  which choice will you choose.

Choosing a lunch choice comes down to two key elements:

1. whether they like the food.

2. which choice did my friend pick

If you REALLY like one food option, then it negates the second element completely.  However, if you were wavering at all, then the second option takes precedence and ultimately becomes the reason for lunch.

Some teachers will have a board that students mark their lunch choice (usually located at the classroom entrance), some will have students raise their hands in order to take count.  I choose the standing method.  "All those having Veggie Corn Dogs please stand."  one, two, three, four,.."Are you standing or just kneeling on your chair?  Well then, sit down so I don't count you.".. five, six,.."Wait, why are you sitting down now?  You're not having the Veggie Corn Dog?"..five, six, and seven.  "Great, you may be seated.   Now I need those having Grilled Cheese Quesadilla to stand."  one, two,.."Okay, didn't I just count you for the first choice? ...  Then why are you standing again? ...  Because you changed your mind? ...  You changed your mind too? ... What do you mean you didn't know we were taking lunch count? ...  You want to can call your mom to see if she can bring in a cold lunch, because you didn't look at the lunch choices at home? ...  Let's just start all over with how many people want the Veggie Corn Dog?" one. 

Academics seem fairly easy once you've gotten the morning started.