Teacher Sick Day

What do normal people do on a day off?

People that aren’t teachers don’t have to work on sub plans when they are out.
They don’t have to worry about the 170 kids that are left with a sub.

When I worked in purchasing for a chemical company, I didn’t have to worry about making sure my orders were filled. Life went on without me. I didn’t have to leave plans on my desk with a schedule--that was organized to the minute.

I didn’t feel guilty about leaving my chemical orders.

Today, I felt guilty about leaving my students.

I felt so guilty when I went to the doctor my blood pressure was slightly elevated.
I was nervous because when I left I didn’t have a sub that was assigned to my room all day. My class would be filled with subs from teachers who were also out today.

There were 18 teachers out today—some were at a meeting, but still.

I am hardly ever sick, but last night was one of those coughing all night, nights, and I decided that I was going to go to the doctor today. I had been sick all week and enough was enough.

So, at 4:30 in the morning, I went to put in for a sub, but couldn’t access the sub system. Finally after sending a frantic email to my school secretary around 6am my job was put in.

I rushed around and got my plans ready for the day. Warm up on the board. Check. Seating Charts. Check. Rosters. Check.

The first bell rang for school and my students began to show up. They were excited for the day and raring to go, and I was cranky and sick and told them to wait in the hallway. I kept my fingers crossed that a sub would show up.

At 8:15 a nicely tattooed man showed up to my room with my sub folder in hand.

One of my students told me I was not allowed to leave them with “a person they didn’t know.”

I wanted to tell him that I was not his mother—and I really don’t have to answer to a 6th grader.

I sure am glad I got to go home. I really am starting to feel better.

P.S. 21 more days until Thanksgiving break.