Dead rats and other randomness...

Recess is one of my favorite times with the kiddos. Seeing these kids, who have significant behavior issues, engaging in age-level appropriate play with other students really makes me feel like maybe I'm making a difference in their lives. It also helps that I'm surrounded by approximately 50 students who are not in my classroom and are super cute because I don't have to deal with them, except for 15 minutes while I'm outside, soaking up the rays, dreaming of being on a far away beach... sipping a margarita. Wait. Nevermind. Just soaking up the rays. I'm totally watching those kids with eyes like a hawk, making sure they are playing appropriately. I would never let my mind wander while I'm on the job.

 

Back to my point. Recess pretty much rocks. At least at my school. I know other teachers dread it, but I really enjoy it. It's all fun and games, though, until a kid brings you a dead rat.

 

Thank all things holy that the kids were wise enough to bring it to my amazing teaching assistant (who promptly screamed like a girl ((he's a boy)) and demanded they throw that "gross thing down!") instead of me.

 

I thought I was in the clear until my little red-headed bundle of fun grabbed my hand and demanded I look at the dead rat because, "It's kind of like a science experiment." and his side kick who demanded I look, "because we all have to face our fears at some point. I looked at the bugs and I'm TOTALLY scared of bugs, so you should look at the dead rat who is missing its head so you're not scared of it anymore."

 

*&%!!!!! How do I argue with that logic? I couldn't explain to them that I wasn't afraid, it was really just because who wants to see a dead rat that's missing its head?

 

Certainly not me.

 

And that's when I decided recess was over.