Imperfect Timing

Raise your hand if you remember reading a sign posted above, below, or somewhere around the clock in one of your high school classrooms that read

I believe that was meant to encourage us to watch the teacher not the clock. Plant that seed of how continually watching the hands tick by will in no way attribute to our success. I'd place that same sign in my classroom but they can't tell time so they don't even look at the clock. Instead I hear "What time is it?", "Is it time for lunch yet?", "Is it time to go home?" ALL .... DAY .... LONG!. That and they probably wouldn't get it anyways.

Now that you are this far into my web of awesomeness, there really is no "student" story of the day. Rather just an inhumane by-product of the conclusion of Daylight Saving Time (which is cruel and unusual all on its own). As most of you know - or at least figured out - Daylight Savings Time is now over. Which means brighter mornings, darker nights, and earlier muggings. So, logically you would think that in a school that bases everything on time (with bells indicating specific times) that the clocks would have been top priority for change over the weekend.

Ah - never let logic get in the way of a school. No, No! For the last TWO days - count them ... ONE ... TWO ... - the clocks have been anything but correct.

Do you see the difference? 6:07 at school .... 4:07 EVERYWHERE ELSE!

I know what you're thinking - It can't be that bad. OK - YOU try convincing 19 children that you have spent that last 3 months training that when a certain bell rings it means clean up that THIS time it does not! OR that even though the bell didn't ring it really is time to go ... like bye-bye!

The one bonus is that luckily for me, I never read the hour hand. I only utilize the minute hand in my room. I know that when the big hand is on the 9 I need to get my kids. When it is on the 11 it's lunch time. When its on the 6 its time to clean up. I think you get the idea. One time another teacher came in and asked when my prep was over. My response - on the 10. Sad - maybe. Incredibly efficient - most definitely.

However, that amazing skill of mine does not deter from the fact that the screwy clocks are lapping up what little sanity I have left. This would not be a problem if we just joined Arizona in their genius of not trying to save daylight. Really - what are we trying to save it for anyways?