Or "the day full of things to get the Lawn Mower Queen fired."

Thursday is mentor day in the classroom I am currently teaching. Mentors are adults who come in once a week and read with the kids. Sometimes they play games, one woman actually teaches the kids (something tells me she was a former teacher), and generally the kids get to interact with adults who aren't their parents. The most consistent mentors are, of course, senior citizens. It's really neat to watch. The kids are so polite and they love their mentors. The mentors love being around the kids.

But some days? Some days I wonder just how much has changed since they were in school.

The following four things happened between 1 and 3, when the mentors are visiting.

  • Two of the mentors brought Christmas gifts for the kids. Apparently there's a hullabaloo with the classroom teachers about "my" kids getting stuff that the rest of the class doesn't get. While I understand...tough noogies. The teacher I'm in for usually leaves the stuff in the library and gives it to kids as they leave the building at night. Uh. No. I sent it back with the kids and told them to put it directly into their bookbags. If there's a problem, hey, I'm "just a sub."
  • After passing out the gift bags, the mentor told the children not to get the bags out on the bus because (and I quote) "there are bigger, meaner kids on the bus than you and they may take your bag." WHAT!? Good gravy. Not that it bothers me because, I'm "just a sub."
  • Another mentor brought his mandolin and played Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells with the kids. Unfortunately, the first class ran long so to fill time we had to sing another song. He only knew Away in a Manger. Think of the lyrics to that one - definitely school appropriate. But hey, I'm "just a sub."
  • Meanwhile, during mentoring a student experienced a coughing fit. I sent him to the drinking fountain and he seemed to be ok. He was really ok when his mentor gave him a cough drop*! Hey, I'm "just a sub."
It looks like I may end up working the three days next week too. It's really no big deal - I'm completely and totally overwhelmed by packing at this point nothing seems to phase me. I have to be there anyway for afterschool tutoring. Might as well make some more money (and it's the good rate too, five extra dollars a day since I've been there more than five days - woohoo).

Tonight's ornament is one I picked up last year. Not only is it a soccer playing Santa, but Santa's is in LMK's high school colors and sporting his high school jersey number. How could I resist?

* We are expressly forbidden to give kids cough drops because they are technically medicine. Parents must sent a note with them to school if the kid has them.