In the classroom, the walls scream run. Ebony is determined to make it through the day without allowing her emotions to take control of her decision making. All the memories come rushing back, and the question of why whispers in her mind? There are no answers just reasons that can’t be justified. She makes a strong attempt to be ready for the students before they come in the room but all she can do is stare out at the park that is adjacent to the school. The organized papers stare at her as she remembers being told how unorganized she was with her class. The pain of looking at the papers that were displayed and trying to compare and contrast it to the message from the administration of how she did not keep adequate records. The confusion was so strong that she decided to walk in the hallway and get some air.
As she walked through the hall she made up in her mind to go to the copier room to make some copies for her classroom so that her walk would not be in vain. On her mission, she sure felt like she was out of commission, but the students needed her. This pushed her down the hall and finally in the room that works magic for teachers. A place where assignments become the proactive answer to possible problems that might occur in the classroom. The goal is always to make sure that the work is from the moment the student arrives in class until they leave class with their brains having a full mental work out.
Ebony successful made it back to her classroom not giving in to the temptation to take the stairs and bolt out the door. As she rounded the corner she noticed the assistant principal standing at her door. WOW! She thought to herself as if the news from the previous week was not enough, maybe she thought to herself that she would be asked to leave and this would cause her not to have to be tortured by her inner emotions throughout the day.
“How’s it going Ms. Carter,” The assistant Principal cheerful stated,
Ebony knew in her mind that after two weeks of silence by her administrative staff that this was just a way of them giving her some more news that she did not want to hear.
“Everything is okay,” Ebony responded forcing a plastic smile on her face as she opened her door to her classroom.
“Well Me and Mr. Butkis would like to have a meeting with you at the end of the day to explain how things will transpire for the rest of the school year. If you choose to have a union representative you can. Okay.” Miss Stuffing stated without going in Ebony’s classroom.
“Okay” Ebony responded walking in her classroom with her back to Miss Stuffing.
Quickly Ebony organized the copies that she had and inhale and exhaled as her therapist had told her. Maybe if David did not break up with her at the same time she was going through this weird time on her job she could call him for some emotional support. Like Paul Laurence
Dunbar stated “ With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,” she thought to herself as she put on her mask for her students for the day. Determined to not let them see her sweat she squared her shoulders with confidence that she would be strong for her students.