Friday, August 30, 2019

Picture Day


Friday was picture day.

I've never before experienced picture day. The English teachers usually aren't out for it, I suppose. I can't imagine why...

I vaguely knew we had to go to the cafeteria. I thought I knew the way. As I had first period line up outside, I saw another English teacher leading her class. I told my kiddos to follow them. Turned out, I would have totally gone to the wrong side of the building if that other teacher hadn't been there.

Then she clued me in that I had to pick up cards to distribute to the kiddos. (The teachers are so helpful. They really are.) These cards had bar codes on them that the photographers scanned. That gave the computer enough info so the students' ID cards could be printed out immediately.

After that, I became an old pro fast. By sixth period I knew the drill. I instructed the two kiddos that didn't have cards (the card system was great, but these things are never perfect) to bring their schedules as the photographer just needed their student ID numbers. (The 8th graders know theirs, but the 7th graders have had these ID numbers for a total of seven days at this point.)

When it turned out the girls' schedules didn't have their ID numbers on them (deep sigh), I knew where to send them.

It was sixth period when the system went off the rails. They were short a couple photographers, so it took us all period to get through that line. Yikes.

During that time, one of the boys was in tears. Uh oh. Was he being bullied?

Then I got the full story. He had touched a fellow student on his shoulder. That boy didn't like being touched. He reacted. And the first boy got upset. But the two of them had worked it out, so they were friendly again.

Whew. (7th grade drama.)

But the one that is the real reason for this story...

I warned the kiddos a couple times during the week that picture day was on Friday. So, several of them had their order forms for their school pictures ready. Alaina was unsure if her mother had paid online or not. She asked if she could call her mom. As we weren't in class (the cafeteria was on the other side of campus), I told her to go ahead. She popped back into the room to grab her cell phone, and then we headed out.

When we got to the cafeteria (Alaina's mom said she had submitted her credit card info to where it needed to go), Alaina realized she had left the bar code card in the classroom. Deep sigh.

Well, no, she couldn't go back and get it. I had locked the classroom before we left. I had the kiddos leave their backpacks in there.

Alaina, of course, didn't know her student ID number. And I suppose I got busy and didn't think to send her to the office to have someone look it up.

By the time we finally left the cafeteria, Alaina was in tears. She thought she wasn't going to get her picture taken.

But I knew differently. Once we got to the classroom, I told her to grab her bar code card and go back. Considering the lines behind us, I knew she'd still have time. It's not like they were checking who belonged to which class. And we weren't doing anything in class that she couldn't miss.

It wasn't the first time that day that a student had to go back after we had finished in the cafeteria.

Crisis averted. Alaina and the other two girls retrieved their stuff from the classroom a good ten minutes after school had ended.

Considering that line, I'm surprised it didn't take them longer.

26 comments:

  1. Sounds like a crazy time.

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    1. It was, but it was a great way to kill a day.

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  2. Who knew picture day entailed so much stuff?! That's crazy or I'm just old or BOTH! :) Again, and again, and again, I will say, I could never ever do your job but I am so thankful that you and other teachers can!

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    1. I didn't either. This may be the last time I ever have to do it :)

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  3. I'm so glad I'm no longer in school. :)

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    1. It's different from the adult side, that's for sure.

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  4. I recall picture day. For my self and as a parent.
    Coffee is on

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  5. Now you've made me wonder how it works at the Barbarians' school. I pay the money and send the form and eventually photos turn up. They don't get their id cards straight away though.

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  6. Things sure have changed since my schooldays! As for technology, it can be a blessing and a curse, for sure. Ugh... Be well and stay healthy working with all these kids.

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  7. Oh my gosh...you have such fun! Fun I do best staying away from cause my patience at this point in life is far from being able to handle all that. You get a major pat on the back from me.

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    1. Thanks, but you might notice how much time I spend here complaining about them. I don't think I have as much patience as you think.

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  8. I recall picture days. One girl had such thick hair that a comb was buried and tangled up in her hair.

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  9. -sounds like a lot to deal with. I remember Jr High picture day: I was standing in line behind an 8th grader called Tanya Henderson trying to comb my wimpy feathered bangs into place. Tanya turned around and said something to the effect of: It doesn't matter what you do, your hair will still look like shit. Tanya and her friend then laughed and laughed.

    *womp* *womp*

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    1. 8th graders are evil. They just are. They were evil when we were there, and they are still evil today.

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  10. Whew. I can't remember the last time I had school photos taken. I remember when Brett was working for the school system and came home one day with a packet of pictures. They were gorgeous. I wanted to give them to everyone, but he didn't get it. Something about a picture taken by a pro.

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    1. They take them so quickly, but they definitely know how to pose the kiddos.

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  11. Teaching is a graceful job.An engagement that helps the person totally forget their home and alikes. And this picture day and all we don't have in India.

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    1. No school pictures? Really? It's a rite of passage here.

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  12. I can remember being that age. Stuff that seems so minor now could seem like such a huge deal back then.

    Cait @ Of Needles and Noodles

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  13. Memories of 8th grade...ugh. Picture day has sure changed from when I was in school in 53 BC (kidding, it was more like the 1960;s) no school ID either, not that I can remember. Wow, what a stressful day that must have been for you.

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    1. It wasn't too bad, actually. It's a great way to kill half a class period.

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