Codes: We have all kinds of codes in elementary school... and you better learn them all, just in case you need to follow through on one. For instance, there are codes for tornadoes and for fires, for intruders and for power outages. But the important ones, the REALLY IMPORTANT ONES are color coded. Code Brown - kid goes to clinic for new clothes and the lucky teacher needs an air freshener. Code Yellow - kid goes to clinic for new clothes and the lucky teacher needs a mop and a wet floor sign. Code White - kid goes to clinic for new clothes and the lucky teacher needs....
Yep, it's called PUKE-UP. Bahahahahaa!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a product hitting the nail on the head! I saw this in our cafeteria this week. I guess it works as well as the hamster-cage chips we used to use. I am slightly concerned, though, over the really BOLD warning that it may irritate eyes. If I ever had to be that close to the need for "vomit control", I would have to call a code white for myself. Just sayin'.
Odors: Elementary schools = strong odors. It's simple math. And my room is one of the stinkiest. It has no windows. NONE. It's the MUSIC room, so I can't even open the door for ventilation because we're too noisy. When any of the odors I'm going to talk about happen, they fill my room entirely and there is no escape! Sometimes it's hard to even open my mouth to sing because I'm afraid the odors will become some kind of mutant TASTE. SO!There are the obvious ones (caused by the brown, yellow, and white codes), but there are some other ones, too. Fifth graders in May after recess. This is where we introduce the word "deodorant". Second graders any time after recess. This is where we introduce the idea of occasionally washing our shoes. Kindergarteners after lunch on taco day. This is where we start talking about self-control and that everybody "toots". And there are some that may surprise you... like the smell of black magic markers. Or dry erase markers. Or overhead markers. Did I mention my room (sans windows) is next to the cafeteria? There's the smell of tater tots (good) and of cabbage (not good). Pizza (tolerable) and fish sticks (bring on the puke-up). This week, though, I had a surprising run-in with an odor in my small enclosed space. After my kindergarten Valentine's program, I moved all of the stage decorations to my room. It took me two days to realize what was giving me splitting headaches and sinus congestion.
FORTY latex balloons. You could smell them as soon as you opened the door. It was horrible. And amazingly enough, my headache went away as soon as I distributed them to other teachers. Hmm... who knew?
What are the joys of your job?
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