From Fire Drill Bells To Wedding Bells

This morning, when I went to pick up my kids first thing, one of my boys was talking to one of the recess teachers, and she was writing on a Behavior Slip. I sighed, and got my class. As the one student entered, he hands me the slip. I noted that three other boys in my class had been verbally harrassing him, calling him "fat" and "terrorist." I asked him what the recess teacher did about it. He said that she told him to give me the note. Great.

So when recess came, I kept in the three boys for a talking. Now, I really disapprove of them calling the other middle-eastern student "terrorist." And all three boys in question were of different races that too could be made fun of. So I talked very seriously to them. I knew it wasn't a one-way street; that the other boy had played a part, too. But he was the only one who reported it. So the three boys were the ones caught.

Anyway, I was just finishing up my lecture, and I was preparing to give a wrap up, when the fire drill bell went off. I was surprised, because we have never had a fire drill during recess. I figured either someone pulled the alarm, or they wanted to see how the kids reacted when at an unstructured moment. So I told the three boys to hurry on out and get in line.

Once outside on the field in our designated spot, I began to take roll. I heard the siren of a fire engine, so I knew this was no drill. After all of my students were accounted for, I held up my green "OK" sign.

Soon, about 5 or 6 firemen come from out of the building area, and walk toward us at the field. One is carrying a large cardboard box and shouts out, "Ms. Teacher in ELL? We found this package in your room right next to the heater."

She sheepishly came forward to the firemen. The one holding the box pulls out a dozen red roses. Another fireman goes up to her, falls onto one knee, and pulls something out of his pocket.

A huge "Aw!" arose from the crowd, both kids and adults alike, as we realized that it was a proposal taking place, and we were witnesses to it all! Then we all just burst into applause as Ms. Teacher and Mr. Fireman kissed and hugged in front of the whole school.

What a way to start the day! We all headed back into class, and we all had big smiles on our faces!

What can you do after a unique, shared experience like that? Why, write about it, of course! We began to plan it right away: it's a fabulous story with a beginning, middle, and end. These kids will never see anything like that again! And when the stories are finished I will give them to Ms. Teacher and Mr. Fireman, and they can share them with their own children, and read them again on their 50th wedding anniversary.

I wish I had married a romantic.