The New First Grade Teacher

Every year I have taught, regardless of the school I was teaching in, at least one new teacher joined the staff in the fall. One year I met an energetic young teacher fresh out of college who I learned would be teaching first grade in the room next to mine. This guy had so much energy and enthusiasm that I told him if he could ever bottle it, he would make a lot of money. There was only one down side to my new colleague. He loved to play practical jokes, especially on me. A few prime examples come to mind.

One day he knocked on my door and told me to come out in the hall as quickly as I could. A huge computer box was parked right outside my door. He slapped me on the back and congratulated me for getting the new computer. I was confused and told him I thought it was supposed to be going to the computer lab. He encouraged me to go ahead and open  it and see what the manifest said.  I was absolutely thrilled to think that I was getting a new computer to replace the ancient relic in my classroom. I grasped the top flaps in anticipation when all of a sudden one of his students jumped out and said "Surprise!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs and several teachers came running out to see what the commotion was all about. Of course, my class loved the diversion.

Another time I was running late for a teacher's meeting. Everyone was already seated and he motioned for me to come and join his table. Trying not to draw attention to myself since I was late, I went around to the very back and finally got to his table. I breathed a sigh of relief....until I sat down. He had slipped a whoopee cushion into my seat. Every person in the room, including my Principal, turned to look at my beet red face. I wanted to crawl under the table but I sat stiff backed through the meeting while the little prankster literally chewed on the insides of his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. What added insult to injury was when a teacher assistant at another table passed some antacids over to me after giving me a sympathetic nod.

This young man loved teaching and really motivated his students but he and this veteran teacher had a heart to heart after that staff meeting. He never played another practical joke on me after that! Of course, I DID make a point not to sit by him in staff meetings any longer.

He went on to become an adminitrator where I have no doubt that his sense of humor followed him.