Back to School Nightmare

I stand in my classroom, counting every second until the morning homeroom bell rings in a new school year. Far across a gridlock of hallways the front door opens, and in pours a sea of new faces.

To be the first student to enter a new classroom is intimidating, especially for middle school. So they wait by the locker until enough of them have amassed (in count and in courage) to enter the room as a group. Typically they enter silently, unsure of themselves.

That is my cue. I am curt, direct, and austere. Take command. Take control. First impressions are everything. I present a different side of myself than the one they will come to know. As the year progresses, I’ll ease my control; come midyear I’ll relax as they settle in and test my limits. The year always ends in chaos.

Only, something is different this year. Kids enter the room boisterous, loud, and with a certain familiarity. I ask them to sit down, only they grab an eraser and begin an impromptu game of monkey in the middle, or tackle football. I ask them to speak quietly and they laugh at me. Wrinkle my brow, eye of death, shoulders back, speak in a booming tone – pulling out all of my tricks. They see through my guise and carry on.

Then it hits me. These aren’t new students; these are the kids from last year come back to haunt me. The entire class has to repeat the grade. The first day begins like that last week in June.

Morning announcements begin, and they begin to stampede out of the room. I jam myself into the doorway to prevent their exit. They begin to push me out of the way knowing that I can’t lay a hand on them. What do I do, push back? Instead, those wimpy words hobble out my mouth, “Please don’t.” Laughing, they push me to the ground and lead a stampede to the cafeteria.

Then I wake up, in cold sweat, realizing that I dreamt my first Back-to-School nightmare of this summer. August is here and September is quickly approaching. Better make the most of the remaining vacation.

Tags: education, teacher, nightmare, dreams, back to school