Background
Stories from a long and unlikely career.
|
Early in my teaching career, I was plagued with serious sinus infections. I would often wake up feeling sinus pressure that would either ease up as the day went on or I forgot about as I got involved with my students. There were other days, however, when I was not so fortunate.
I knew as soon as I woke up that Friday morning I should call in sick but did not see that as a viable option because I had not updated my emergency plans since the beginning of first semester. If used now, they would not be much more than “busy” work, something I prided myself on never assigning. My husband was out at sea so there was no one home to tell me not to go to work – so go to work I did.
I managed to make it through my first two classes. Fortunately, I had my planning during third period. I used that time wisely and made plans for my last three classes of the day. As soon as I completed them, I walked to the office to ask to go home for the remainder of the day.
As soon as our assistant principal, Mrs. Taylor, saw me, she said, “Child, you need to go home and get into the bed.”
“Yes, I believe I will. Here are my plans for the remainder of the day.”
“Now, go. I will get teachers to cover your classes for you. Call your doctor and get some medicine, too.”
“Will do.”
************************************************************************************
When I returned to work on Monday, one of my co-workers asked me if I had heard what my fourth-period class had done to Mr. Maury. A quizzical look indicated to her I had not.
“It seems they all turned their chairs so they had their backs to him after he said something they did not like.”
“Thank you for telling me. I will check with him to find out what happened so I will know before they try to shoot me a line.”
I stopped by Mr. Maury’s room to apologize for my students’ behavior and to ask if every student participated in the back-turning and if he knew what caused it.
“Janice, I told them you had gone home sick. I wrote their assignment on the board and asked them to get to work. Some of them wanted to be silly so I asked them to act their age. The next thing I knew, they were turning their seats around and refused to sit facing the board.”
“I am really sorry, Mr. Maury.”
“It’s okay, Janice. I know you don’t tolerate that type of behavior.”
“No, I do not. I will handle this when I see them today.”
To Be Continued
