Middle School Priorities

"Wait, you didn't get the donuts?"

Dear Readers,

We all have those moments of panic when we realize our wallet is missing. Maybe not all of us, but most of us. I experienced this at 6:30 AM Friday morning.

I did not complete my reading assignment so my consequence was to buy my 7th grade Language and Literature Class donuts. We took a vote on Thursday and I was going to surprise them with all 3 choices instead of the 2 most popular. 

Timeline of Events (Friday morning 6:30 AM)

1. I left early so I could stop at Wegmans before work.
2. I drove to Wegmans and parked.
3. I reached into my purse and realized I had no wallet.
4. I started panicking.
5. I looked through my purse, bag, etc.
6. I turned around and drove back to my apartment. (It is literally within walking distance.)
7. I went inside and was looking everywhere. No luck. Now I was really starting to panic. I remembered that I had stopped at Wegmans on the way home from work the day before and had taken it out of my purse.
8. I went back outside and was hunting high and low through my car.
9. I dumped everything out of my purse and found my card carrier. I never put that in without my wallet. What on earth was going on? (I honestly thought someone was playing a joke on me. Candid camera perhaps?)
10. I drove back to Wegmans and went in. I asked at the Service Desk if it had been turned in. Luckily a very kind person had turned it in. (Thank you to whoever that was.)
11. Now 30 minutes later, I am off to work minus treats for my students.

Student #1

I get to school and students come up for lunch as they do every day. I said I did not have their donuts and proceeded to tell the story. I love seeing life through the perspective of a 13 year old.

Me: Tells story.

S: Did you bring donuts?

Me: I had no wallet.

S: But did you bring the donuts?

Me: No, my priority was finding the wallet.

S: Oh, so we don't get donuts?

Student #2

I proceed to tell the entire class. Here is the 2nd conversation.

Me: I had my debit and credit cards, but needed to find the wallet.

S: You didn't bring donuts?

Me: No.

S: But you had your debit card.

Me: Yes, but the priority was finding my wallet. I had other things in there.

S: Oh, so you don't have donuts today?

Me: No. I will have them after break.

S: Oh. Ok.

Reflection

We must always remember to take a moment and see the world from our students' perspectives. Trying to put the "glasses" on with the "prescription" of life as a teenager. 

They really do bring such a light-hearted point of view. It makes me chuckle when I visualize their priority list compared to our lists as adults. They teach me to never lose my inner child. 

Warmly,

Teresa