The junk
in the top drawer of my desk has been there for years. In fact, I’ve hardly opened the drawer since my
teaching days. What surprises! Who needs expired credit and airline cards,
Italian lira and leaking AA batteries?—time to go. The business cards of
teachers that I accumulated during my teaching days brought back memories, but
it was time for them to go, too. Then there were at least twenty of those
plastic tabs that go on hanging file folders. Out, out.
I’m keeping the tape—regular, double-side, and highlighter. Maybe sometime
I’ll need the array of paper clips—small, medium and large, plastic and metal,
silver and every color of the rainbow. And glue sticks always come in handy.
Going through the drawer brought back teaching memories, especially today,
on this first day of school for many. It’s raining so I’m thinking how the day
will go if the children can’t go out to play. Indoor recesses is no way to start the school year. Looking
at the junk and treasures in the drawer also reminds me of all of my own money
that I spent to equip my classroom. I wasn’t the only one, and I know it’s
still going on. Can you imagine what classrooms would look like it teachers
didn’t fund them with their own money? If you think teachers are overpaid, you
might consider that they are subsidizing the school budget.
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