Grateful Friday

There's a low spot all along the back side of the school (outside my door) where the sidewalk meets the pavement.  Water gathers there in a long moat when the snow melts or it rains.  That creates a fun obstacle.  Those who are adventurous try to leap over it (mostly they miss) and those who are timid forlornly wonder how to cross.  (I point out that they can walk around the moat by going down the length of the school.)

Yesterday, the moat was a frozen walkway of ice.  I had recess duty and could see that it was a problem waiting to happen.  I went into the office and asked the secretaries to ask Riley to de-ice.  

As I was walking out of the school, there was a student prone, having fallen and clunked his head on the ice.  I gathered him up and took him inside.  (Whenever there's a head injury, a report has to be filed, luckily not by me.)

I walked back outside and Riley was there with his little machine, scattering de-icer.  The students who were having a lot of fun sliding on the ice were horrified.  "No!" they yelled.  "Don't ruin the ice!"

I didn't want Riley to have to take all the blame so I told them I'd asked him to come.

They turned on me.

I was a "destroyer of fun" and had "betrayed" them.

I just shrugged.  I didn't hire on to be fun.

***

Last week, my class earned the reward for 80% of them reaching their goal in iReady.  It was a BIG deal.  They kept asking me what the reward was.  Since it isn't my contest, I didn't know.  They very nearly have achieved the goal for this week and they wanted to know the reward.  I emailed to find out.  They were every bit as appalled as I was about the reward when I told them what it was.

It was 10 minutes of extra recess.  The teacher was in charge of deciding when.

10 minutes of extra recess in January is akin to punishment.  Half of them don't even really want to go to recess at all when it is in the 20s.

I offered that we could vote on a different reward.  They picked donuts, so I stopped at the store last night and bought donuts.

Among other things, I'm grateful today to be Amelia Bedelia.  I can destroy fun and betray everyone, but in the end, I bring a treat and all is forgiven.