Please don't forget to raise your hand.

"Are we going to get to dissect frogs?! My sister says we're dissecting frogs."

"No, we will not be dissecting frogs. "

*Sounds of disappointment*

"What's THAT?" 

"That's the emergency shower."

"...why would we need a shower in the middle of class?"
"In case we spill chemicals on us."

"Exactly. If we were to do an experiment with some dangerous chemicals and some were spilled on you- you could use the shower to wash them off."

"...or if you caught fire!"

"Well- if you caught fire you should probably stop, drop, and roll- not run to the shower."

"If someone pulled the shower, there would be water all over your floor."

"Yes- if the shower were pulled in an emergency, there would be water on the floor, but there's a drain on the floor so it would be alright."

*Everyone frantically twists and turns around in their seats to try and see the drain on the floor.*

"What would happen if someone pulled the shower on when there wasn't an emergency."

"If you turn the shower on and it isn't an emergency- you will get an automatic referral. So don't do it."

*Some students nod...other look like they are thinking really hard.*

"But what if you tripped and accidentally turned on the shower?"

"You'd still get a referral.  So you better just be safe and stay away from the shower.  We aren't going to be working with dangerous chemicals so you shouldn't need to be anywhere near the shower."

"What about the eye-wash?"

"The eye-wash is also just for emergencies, to rinse out your eyes if you had something in them."
"Is it just water or does something special come out?"
"Just water."

"Regular tap water?"

"Regular city tap water."
"It comes out really fast and it stings doesn't it."
"Uhhhh...it comes out fast enough to rinse out whatever is in your eyes."

*Some students cringe and rub their eyes like they are imagining jets of "special" water shooting at them.*

"...so why doesn't the shower have glass around it?"

"The shower is JUST FOR EMERGENCIES.  No one will be using the shower."

"What are those things on the tables?"

"Those are the gas and air valves in case we were hooking up Bunsen burners or something."

"Is gas flammable?"

"Yes."

*The entire class goes wide-eyed and start turning and whispering to each other*

"But they aren't hooked-up right now so even if you twist the knob, nothing would happen- no gas would come out."

*They all look disappointed and stop whispering.*

 -----------------------------------------------

Middle school Science class is a big deal.  We're in a fancy Science Lab, and as I handed my wide-eyed 6th graders their first-ever syllabus, I felt a surge of pride to be able to be a part of this experience for them.

This is my third year teaching middle school science- but my first year teaching exclusively 6th grade.  With a degree in elementary education, and some time in 7th and 8th grade under my belt, I feel like I've really come "home" with this group.  I keep reminding myself that it's only been one day.  And this is definitely going to be part of the "honeymoon" period... but like every year I have high hopes.

I have always loved school.  Maybe that’s why I became a teacher.

I’m one of those people.  The ones that get a surge of giddy-excitement when the school-supplies go on sale.  I have stacks of empty journals I can’t bring myself to write in.  They’re so new.  So clean.  I don’t want to mess them up.

There’s something really appealing about a fresh start.  And as a school teacher, I get one every August.  I could write volumes on my school experiences both as a student and as a teacher…and in a few years when my kids start school- I’ll be able to add “parent” to that list as well.

But for now- it’s the first week of school- and tomorrow will only be day two.  There will be a fresh batch of questions to answer- and my tired brain needs to get some sleep.  Even with a newborn I’m not quite used to getting up at 5 am.  There’s just something unnatural to me about being awake before the sun.  But I’ll do it- because I want to be there early.  I want to be ready for their questions.  Because I’m a teacher.  And that’s what we do.

Now get some sleep… it’s a school night after all!