I am a first grade teacher

I am a first grade teacher

I give hugs and I give tissues. I give candy and I give time out. I think to look in the toy section for small treasure box toys. I am up on the latest cartoons and movies. I have seen High School Musical.

I write notes home to parents and notes to the tooth fairy. I believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny. I have met the clean desk fairy.

I fix jammed up book bags, crushed up lunch boxes and twisted up shoe laces.

I get excited when I open a new pack of dry erase markers, and I get upset when I lose my favorite grading pen. I’ve been pulled to the side at the airport for trying to take a pair of purple handled fiskar scissors through security.

I am a first grade teacher.

Words such as “blow your nose,” “tie your shoes,” and “please sit down, Joshua” are part of my daily vocabulary. I even find myself talking to kids in the grocery line. Maybe that’s why I don’t take off my name tag until I get home.

When I get home and I empty my pockets, I find erasers, rocks, flowers, quarters, tickets, toys and sometimes lost teeth (theirs; not mine).

I am a first grade teacher.

I can listen to a story about a dead fish while another child tells me he brought his lunch and another child explains to me in detail about how her brother threw up in his bed, all at the same time.

I know the difference between a vowel and a constant, a digraph and a blend, and I can tell the Sprouse twins apart. I know to walk in the third square.

I am a first grade teacher.

I can listen to a story about a dead fish while another child tells me he brought his lunch and another child explains to me in detail about how her brother threw up in his bed, all at the same time.

I call the clock hands big and little, I know “stupid” is a bad word, and I can do the ABC disco.

I have an endless supply of band aids. I forget to use gloves when rushing a child to the nurse with a bloody nose. I think I have head lice.

I own 9 pairs of tennis shoes and no shoes with heels. I wear jeans on jeans day, red on Valentine’s Day and green for St. Patrick’s Day. Once, I forgot to change my clothes before going to the store, on pajama day. Good thing I have a name tag.

I am a first grade teacher.

I pray for my students’ safety. I pray for snow days. I pray that Joshua will sit down. I am thankful there is a vaccine for chicken pox.

I buy books about crazy first graders, talking ducks, and farm animals that can type. I attend soccer and little league games. It never fails, each time I go to the field, I hear a little voice say “hi Ms. Dubois.” I don’t need a name tag there.

I answer to “teacher,” “Miss,” “Mommy,” and even sometimes to “uhhhhhh.”

I am a first grade teacher.

I can add without using my fingers, I can color inside the lines; I can cut a straight line. I am allowed to use the stapler, hole-puncher and the copy machine. I know when to say the magic words.

I get energized for the 100th day, even though I know there is still 80 days left. I dread April 1st.

I have and endless supply of stickers. I am allergic to chalk. I hate glitter.

I know the difference between a noun, verb and adjective. I can make an anchor chart. I always start my sentence with a capital letter and end it with an end mark. I know what an end mark is.

I know when a child does not understand. I know when I am being lied to. I know when a child needs a hug.

I am a first grade teacher.