(After Harper’s Index)
Number of pencils borrowed by grade 9 students during period 2 today: 4
Number of pencils returned: 1
Number of pencils lost while students moved between desks, ≈6 feet apart: 2
Number of days in school so far: 11
Number of fire alarms pulled: 1
Temperature on the day of the pulled alarm: 2C (35F)
Highest temperature in March: 17C (63F)
Date of highest temperature: March 5
Lowest temperature in March: -14C (7F)
Date of lowest temperature: March 22 (yeah, that’s today)
Number of hours set aside for parent-teacher interviews last night: 4
Timing of these interviews: 3:30pm –7:30pm
Number of minutes planned for each interview: 10
Number of parents who requested an interview with me: 3
Number of their students I am concerned about: 0
Number of people at Iftar dinner after parent-teacher interviews last night: ≈150
Number of those who were teachers: ≈20
Number of hours I slept last night: 6.5
Number of hours of sleep I really need: 8
Reason for the missing hours: finished Tom Lake; a cat sat on me until I woke
Number of five-day weeks left in March: 0
Chances we will cram five days of drama into four days of school next week: 98%
Number of days left in the March Slice of Life Challenge: 9
Chances that I will manage to write every day until the end: 100%
Persistence and Pedagogy 
My sides hurt because that is so spot on about everything! The pencils!! How do they lose them between the teacher desk and their desk? It’s five steps. Where do they go? Maybe they are hanging out with the socks.
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Where are all the pencils? Where could they possibly be except with the socks? Bets on another fire alarm pull before March ends? Hahaha
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Well, I found a bunch of the pencils in one of the crayon boxes in my class because Why Not? LOL I think there is a 110% chance that there will be 5 days worth of drama even though it’s only a 4 day week. The extra 12% will by in my daughters class alone!
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😆😂 Oh how glad I am that I am not a girl in middle school any more!
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I keep thinking about a by the numbers post. I like the variety you’ve included here.
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Thanks, Jessica! I’d love to see your “numbers”
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sometimes, a simple structure lets us convey a lot. This was lovely. I was astounded that you got a pencil back.
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I’m pretty sure all the pencils were gone again by the end of the day. 🤦🏼♀️
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I remember those back pages. I used to clip them. I wonder where I saved them. Probably with the pencils. Sorry about those temperatures and that fire alarm. That’s a cruel joke. I need to try this by the numbers thing with my library gig.
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After I went to sleep (or tried to) I remembered that it’s the Harper’s Index. I think I must have gotten a nudge from my grandmother who used to work for Harper’s. Sorry that I’ve been so bad about my commenting. I feel guilty when I get comments from the people whose blogs I love to read but haven’t. Your comments have been greatly appreciated.
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Oh, Peter! We do what we can. We’ve all had times when commenting was nearly impossible, and you have a better reason than most. Listen, the next time your mother dies, I expect you to keep up with your commenting. (Too soon? I hope not!) in the meantime, still sending you light or love or good vibes or whatever the universe will accept. Also: Harper’s!!
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Love all the numbers! (Although those low temperatures are downright scary for someone who is a native Southern Californian!) Hang in there–April is on the horizon.
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WHERE DO THE PENCILS GO??? It is such a mystery to me because it’s certain that the children who borrow them don’t have them tomorrow. Or even in their next class. This post had me laughing so many times. Especially the parent teacher conference lines–and especially especially the one about the number of those students you’re concerned about. Also laughing ruefully about the cat who sat on you til you woke up. I woke up at 5:20 am (ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING BREAK) to Pickles sitting on my chest and yowling in my face. Who knows why. He had everything he needs in life. I hope this post will inspire many imitations because it’s a delight.
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Amanda!
I’m just circling back around to this slice this morning because last night I had a short list: number of migraines I had Friday: 1. That means this slice speaks to me. When I sub I often fail to collect the chromebook chargers. I’m sure I deserve the blame for many permanently borrowed ones. Still, that last stat is the gold. The rest are numbers that will change—maybe next year.
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I am impressed that there’s only a 98% chance of 5-days worth of drama crammed into the 4-day week. :-) I am in awe of how you infuse this format, which feels like it would be easy to come across as just a list, with a portrait of life of a teacher. You convey such realities with humor and poignancy.
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