So, today was a teacher "professional development" day. That means that while all the kids are out breathing this beautiful Fall air (that's what I am telling myself they are doing, anyway) all of us teachers are crammed inside, sitting at their tiny desks in their even tinier chairs in meetings. Now, normally I don't mind a day like today. I show up, I listen and occasionally participate, I might go out for lunch rather than bring a disgusting sack of some pathetic leftover. Bottom line, these PD days are boring but a nice break from the routine requiring very little of my own effort.
Today, fueled by several cups of coffee, I decided to try to really be productive. I made a short list that would make my Monday morning self very happy to see completed and got to school a little early to complete it. I mixed some special paint colors for fourth-graders, I prepared some supplies to paint a mural on the snow plow parked outside our building, and I loaded up my kiln with 40 or so clay portrait bust sculptures created by the best fifth-graders I have ever had. Success indeed!
These sculptures were lovingly sculpted and crafted mini-kids with smiling faces and curly hair. So charming! The lesson plan I adapted them from had recommended that I dry them for two weeks. Tuesday I had sped up the process by putting them under a fan all night and by yesterday they seemed ready to hit the kiln, bone-dry and warm. I explained to each of the classes why we needed to wait, water vapor, kiln bombs, etc. Imagine my horror this morning when I went in to ramp up the temperature when it struck me...no, they aren't working on the roof today. Those dull cracking thuds were my fifth-graders' little clay heads exploding in the kiln! At least I have all weekend to figure out how to break the news and their hearts. Let's be real, though: they'll probably be psyched for another day of clay!
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