HEATING UP

The last time I checked the high temps for today, it had hit 111 degrees. Yes, this is normal weather for Phoenix......for July! Not for mid-May for crying out loud! So far we've been having a cooler than normal spring....having our first triple digit temps on Saturday.

Two days later: 111º

There's just nothing to do about it. Basically you have to just take cover, turn your air conditioner down, stay inside. Which made working at school today kind of hard. The classrooms are air conditioned....very nicely. Each teacher is in control of his/her own thermostat. But then there is this little thing called recess. As an instructional aid, it is my job to help take the second graders out to the playground. Usually this is my favorite time of the day. I get to joke around with the children and they get to run and play and shout! Total release after being made to sit still and be quiet the rest of the day.

But today was going to be no fun a'tall....or so it seemed.

During the morning announcements, our principal made a decree (or is that only kings who can decree stuff?) that there was a heat advisory, so supervising adults were to take care to keep the children from overheating. So...."don't let them run", she said. I wonder if she has ever taken 100 second graders out to the playground and told not to let them run. LOL Think about that. Very.......silly.

So....as I lined my 2 classes up after lunch, I sternly told them "Remember, you are not supposed to RUN during recess today. It is VERY HOT so we don't want you to run. And drink extra water." I sent them off for a leisurely walk on the vast playground. I didn't even reach the grass until one very solemn looking boy looked up at me with big blue eyes and asked, "Mrs. L, what happens if we DO run?" I could instantly see the misunderstanding running the gamut through his very serious little mind. He was thinking of passing out, having heart attacks, needing hospitalization or worse yet (!) a shot! I just looked at him and smirked, "I will yell at you.....VERY loudly!"

He laughed and off he went.....walking.

As the other aid and I looked around, she noticed some boys power walking several yards behind some girls who were power walking, hands down to their sides. Then we realized.....the boys were 'chasing' the girls, which is a daily occurrence....but in slow motion today. We laughed ourselves silly.

Obviously the kids did take the warnings seriously....maybe they were having misunderstandings in their little minds too. But when we blew the whistle to come line up, they came quickly, but they were doing the power walk.

Wednesday....the high is supposed to be 79º. This is crazy.