Roses by the dozens sit in buckets on my classroom tables. The student counsel sold roses all week and I ended up buying a ridiculous amount. Initially, I purchased for my family members, some close friends, and my fellow science colleagues. However, the student counsel had so many roses left over that I ended up buying even more just to support “the cause”. After all, I have two children on the counsel and all the remaining student counsel members are my students. I just couldn’t resist them. So now I can spread Valentine’s Day cheer to my neighbors when I go home tonight.
It’s 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. My classroom is finally emptying itself of students who have been here all afternoon working on their self-designed experiments, internal assessments (IAs), for their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. While many test tubes, Erlenmeyer flasks, the foaming yeast, the elodea and other supplies have been carefully cleaned or disposed of, other ongoing experiments remain. There are two plant projects under the fluorescent lights, a sprout project on the lab bench, Daphnia awaiting their caffeine experiment, and a cucumber prepared for an osmosis experiment.
I check my email as I’m waiting for the students to finish up. There is an email from the IB with the announcement that I have been appointed to be an IB examiner. That’s a nice piece of news at the end of the day.
My students claim to be “almost done” so I water my plants and tend to my turtle and the fish. I tidy up around my desk and pack up my bag. I notify my husband and youngest son that we’re finally about ready to go. We gather up our coats and bags and all those roses. It takes three of us to lug the flowers downstairs. We wave to the cleaners who are the last ones in the building and exit out into the dark and rainy night.
Today was an 11-hour day at the school. IB Meetings, an Open House, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Basket Ball Games, and IA’s meant I spent between ten and fourteen hours each day at the school this week. Needless to say, it’s been a long week. How will I celebrate Valentine’s Day? With a quiet movie night at home. However, tomorrow I’ll have a Sushi Dinner with my husband.