Humans are creatures of habit. Even the most spontaneous and eccentric among us have some semblance of a routine. It may not be set in stone and followed exactly the same way each time, but our orders of operations assist our tired brains with the mundanity of everyday tasks and responsibilities. We expect things to be a certain way and may be left with our mouths agape like a middle school boy required to discuss his lesson with a girl at his table.
In many cases, the expected weekly journey of teaching includes numerous amounts of chaos and upsetting classroom routines. From surprise visits to lessons gone awry, the unexpected becomes the ordinary for educators. Lessons are pushed and tweaked, behavior management consumes class periods, and we don’t bat an eye (partially because we physically can’t). However, with all this craziness there is one thing that can throw even the savviest vet for a loop: when your lesson or day actually goes according to plan.
This feels like a fever dream. You pinch yourself to see if you fell asleep at your desk again during a planning period. The students are on task, the noise level is low and isn’t causing a migraine, and you have time to prep for your next class period without being interrupted fifteen times.
Teachers who are rewarded with this temporary oasis of serenity can often be seen staring blankly around the classroom not knowing what to do in this foreign land. Their minds swirl with all the things they imagine they can accomplish with the time saved during the day.
This unfortunately is not sustainable. It is a mirage. A glitch in the matrix. The next class period or day will likely drag you back to reality like a whiff of smelling salts or a plunge in an ice bath. These days remind you that things can go smoothly, but like most rounds of golf, the vast majority of these days are full of adjustments, mistakes, and trying not to get fried by the end.
The Cooked Teacher