I Wonder As I Wander

Some days when I sub, I float around between classrooms in the school. The reasons for my doing this vary. Sometimes it's to cover classes for a half hour so while the teachers are in a meeting; other times it's because I sub for one person in the morning and a different person in the afternoon. Either way, I tend to notice different things as I walk around the different floors of the school.

On this particular day, a lovely former-holiday-turned-snow-makeup-day, I noticed that elementary school lockers are just not big enough for adult sized things. At least, the lockers in this building aren't. While most elementary schools have cubbies instead of lockers, this school actually does have lockers for most of the students. However, they're very small. They might be able to fit a bookbag, coat, and lunchbox, but try doing that if you're an adult! It took me about five minutes to squeeze in my coat, lunchbox, purse, and teacher bag, thus prompting me to think that teachers should have their own grown-up sized lockers. It would make sense, right? And it would be a lot better than throwing my coat over my chair like I usually do. But I know, I know...great idea in theory, but it's not going to happen. Most schools were built a long time ago and either can't fit or can't afford teachers' lockers. However...on the new schools, they should really implement the idea.

Another thing I noticed today was the definite odor of prepubescence that was wafting about on the 5th grade floor. It's about that time in life when kids cease to be kids and begin their journey to adulthood. In other, less poetic words...they should really start wearing deodorant, because the smell will only get worse in the spring. That's right, warm weather = sweaty, stinky kids. It's simple logic, really. One can only hope that their parents will realize this too and buy the kids some deodorant. If that doesn't happen (and sometimes it won't; one often wonders where the hell some people's brains are), the next hope is that the unfortunate stinky kids will take the hint from the little Rico Suave who has been dousing himself in too much Axe since the end of 3rd grade. I don't know about the other teachers, but I certainly would rather have my eyes water a bit from inhaling cologne than have to attempt to tactfully ask a student if they could please do something about their B.O. I haven't had to do that yet, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'll never have to!

Tomorrow I'm in a different building, but supposed to be in for two different teachers once again. I wonder what I'll notice tomorrow...