Cold and Wet

Here's what happened at school today.

It was an emotional day. Lots of crying. Over all kinds of things. Some of it was my kid, and some was others. It was cold and wet and dreary and the kids are tired and stressed and needing a break. And so am I.

So I'd planned some fun stuff. We were doing some presentations, some writing and then were going to play this game they love where I give them super hard vocab and they have to look it up and figure out what the words are clues to. We were all set to play when the fire alarm went off.

And I thought that was quite weird because it was 42º and raining at the time. But we did exactly as we were supposed to. They lined up quietly and we went out. I took role and we got wet. And then wetter. And it wasn't over.

A couple of my girls started to worry and began to cry. But I calmed them down, saying I was sure it was nothing since the fire department was so close and they'd be there or we'd hear sirens by then. And then we *did* hear sirens. The fire trucks roared up and the fire fighters went inside. And we were still outside in the cold rain. In my head I am cursing the fourth grade (or given this year, possibly the kindergartener) who has pulled this alarm and was causing one of my poor children who is as small as leprechaun to begin to go cyanotic around the lips. But I figured they'd know which one was pulled and give us the all clear.

By now we've been outside in the cold rain in our shirts for 15 minutes. One of the other teachers went to her car and got a huge golf umbrella. She lent it to us and I had the kids gather around and put their arms around each other. By that point I had some more crying. And at that moment, one of the kids said, "They're going on the roof!" Bam bam bam, three more start weeping. And I had just gotten the first two to stop. We were shivering and shaking and freezing.

My aide went to her car and grabbed a bunch of sweaters and sweatshirts to put over the kids. Another aide found us a blanket. We were huddled in on each other and I started talking to them. Ridiculous things like, "So do you think soccer will be rained out?" and "What are you doing this weekend?"

And finally no one was crying. We'd been out there for 35 minutes by then. We were talking and hanging out. Some were shivering still and others were sopped straight through. My hands were numb from holding the umbrella over all 22 children (2 absent). And then I saw him. He wasn't just jumping from the cold. And then the tears rushed forth from him.

"Ms. ________ I got to go."

I thought he was panicking because another girl had been sobbing she wanted to go home. And maybe I was dull because of the damp chill that had spread through my body. But he didn't mean he had to leave.

"Ms. ________ I'm not going to make it. I got to GO!"

So what do you do with 22 children in the rain, three firetrucks, and a 9 year old who has to GO? You call to the male aide in 4th grade and send him off to find a solution.

Turns out the blankets came from the very nice family who was right nearby. And they let my young lad GO in their bathroom so there was no adventure peeing for him. But by then one of my girls had caught chill.

We moved her into the middle of the group. Another girl put her arm around her and another took of her sweatshirt and wrapped her up in it. One of the early criers was talking to her sweetly and one of the boys was telling jokes. We'd been out for 45 minutes.

And then it was over. They waved us in and we rushed for the door. I sent the girls to the rest room to take off their wet shirts and put on jackets and sweatshirts. The boys I sent to the cubbies to change. My aide went to the lost and found to find more jackets. I put a wet tissue over the hear register to crank it up. And I noticed that it was time to go. The kids were sharing layers and helping each other into jackets. One got tissues for another one who was chilled and whose nose was still running. My boy who had to go gave his jacket to someone else to wear and everyone clamored to praise someone who'd done something nice for them.

The thing is when I set out to write this I was sure it would be a funny here's what happened to me story. But the thing is here's what really happened to me today:

I found out my kids were really the kind, caring, sweet and lovely children I had hoped they'd be. I found out that in a pinch they aren't mean and bossy and rude and pushy. They're giving and supportive and concerned and good. So even when they are crappy to each other, I guess I have to remember that deep down, my class rocks!