Music to a Teacher's Ears

*Today was music choice day. That means kids either have band, orchestra, or something called...well...the name of the third choice escapes me at the moment, but it's not important. What is important is that the kids had just come in from music choice, the 5th graders had just come back from social studies, and all were noisy. I was trying to get them quiet and ready to go home. Some of the boys were banging on the desks like the desk was a drum.

"Stop hitting your desk," I bellowed. They stopped. Then I continued to hear banging noise. I looked around the room, and a couple of boys were drumming on their cases to their instruments.

"Stop banging on your instruments," I bellowed. Luckily, no one got it...

*Earlier this week, about the last hour of the day, one of the boys was going out into the hall, probably to the restroom.

"Mrs. H.," he yelled from the doorway. "The doorknob came off!"

Sure enough, he was holding the doorknob in his hand, but luckily, holding the door open. "Don't shut that door!" I commanded, as I rushed over, and pushed a door stopper in the way. I then called the office to have them alert our custodian as to our situation. Soon, she came by.

"I think you're just going to have to keep this door open until you leave for the day," she said. "Someone from the district can be out first thing in the morning. But don't let the door shut. The handle could fall out on the other side, and you'd be locked in."

I shuddered at the thought, and we returned to business as usual. It was uneventful, until it was time for the 6th graders to go to musice choice. Since this is my planning time, my 5th graders are divied up between the other three 5th grade teachers. It's a hectic time; the 6th graders leave for music, the 5th graders come back from music, and then go to their assigned teacher.

All of a sudden, the door shut. And I can't blame a 5th grader; they weren't even back yet. It happened while the 6th graders were cleaning up, putting away lap tops on the cart, and getting themselves ready to go. And I'm sure it was no accident, not really. The door was pretty well wedged open.

But shut it was. We were locked in. What to do? First, I bellowed, "Get out a book and read. I do not want to hear a thing!" Then I called the teacher next door. She didn't answer her phone-most teachers don't during the day. So I called down to the office.

"My door has shut, and the handle doesn't work. We are locked in. Please call Mrs. Smith's room to have her open the door for us."

Soon, I saw a teacher in the hall, and I heard the ominous words, "What happened to the handle?" I then realized that the handle had fallen off on the hallway side as well. Did I mention that this is the ONLY door into the room?

I called the office again. "The handle is off on the other side. We are locked in, and no one can open the door from the other side. Get someone here quick!" To which there was much laughter.

"THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THIS! GET SOMEONE HERE QUICK!" I yelled.

"Oh, lighten up," they said. I mumbled a few choice words under my breath. Soon, there were a few teachers in the hallway, working at the knobless door. They were eventually successful, and the door opened. Apparently, the teacher across the hall has tools, and found one just the perfect diameter to open the door. yay.

I wedged the door open once again. The 6th graders left for music choice. The 5th graders left for their classes. The room was quiet. I let out a big sigh. Then I heard, "Whose teacher is yours, huh? What class are you in?"

"Please, don't let this involve me," I pleaded. But, in marches one of the music teachers, who doesn't realize that this is my planning, and she shouldn't bring a trouble-making kid back to me. But she did. I sighed again, and took her to the office.

Gee, I can't figure out why I'm always exhausted!