tan·trum
/ˈtantrəm/
(noun)
an uncontrolled outburst of anger and frustration, typically in a young child
Wouldn’t it be nice if adults could have tantrums? (Yes, we all know people who do, but it’s not really acceptable.) What if we could just pitch a fit, blow up, boil over, blow a fuse, fly off the handle, rant & rave, erupt, seethe, let off steam, have a hissy fit, explode, or have a conniption?
I know that having an adult tantrum is frowned upon in all professional settings, but some days you just want to let loose and wail! That’s how I’m feeling today.
We are on day three of our four days of standardized testing. The students are tired of having to wait for me to read all of the directions, and I am tired of reading the same directions over and over. “Open your test books to the first page of… ” We will begin by doing two sample questions.” “Fill in the circle that goes with the answer you choose.” “Make your mark heavy and dark.” YIKES! My students are in 7th grade and have heard these directions year after year. I don’t want to do any more testing!
Because of Terra Nova testing, we are on a modified schedule where each period is 30 or 35 minutes long. While I like the idea of seeing all of my classes, I feel like a gerbil in a wheel. By the time everyone is finished asking questions, settled, and working, it is time to pack up and move to the next class. I don’t want to have another day of shortened classes!
On top of that, the grading period ends on Friday! I have a stack of final, short answer assessments to grade and a bunch of missing assignments to track down. Once I have all the assignments graded, I need to put qualifiers in multiple reading and writing skills categories. Oh, the joys of middle school ELA. I don’t want to finish grading everything for report cards!
But worst of all is the ever-changing weather! I am a human barometer. If it isn’t my arthritis and creaky joints letting me know rain is approaching, it is my sinuses telling me the temperature and pressure are changing. Today it’s sinus time. All of a sudden I got a wicked headache and stuffy nose. On top of that the allergy index for my area went from 2.2 yesterday to 7.8 today! Achoo!! I don’t want to keep sneezing and taking meds!
I want someone to send me to my room to nap until I have my big feelings under control!
Calgon – take me away!
Rita DiCarne 
I so feel for you! This all is so worthy of an adult tantrum. If only a nap could make it all go away. Hang in there! You will get through it all. I’m rooting for you!!
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Thanks!
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Oh, I remember those long, stressful testing days. Add allergies and grading and you’ve got a recipe for a meltdown. Hope by now you are heading off for a good sleep. That’s always the best reset for me.
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As a teacher who spent five hours proctoring today, I feel your pain. I hate how much those standardized tests take away from instruction and make everyone’s day that much longer. Hang in there! It sounds like you are having a week.
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Thanks. One more day!
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I hated standardized testing days…always a nightmare! And Rita, it would be great if we were allowed to have a temper tantrum once in a blue moon. I don’t think I have ever seen the word “conniption” in print before!
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I hope just describing it all and getting it down helped (a little) with those “big feelings” (my favorite phrase!) Oh, and from a fellow allergy sufferer- I so get how that can feel like the last straw. I keep finding out ways to better address my allergies- I hope you will keep seeking out more to do to feel better in that regard.
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Thanks. I did feel better after I wrote this slice. 😂
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Standardized testing is a very challenging time of the school year! Hope your day goes by quickly so Calgon can take you away.
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Oh, I feel for you. Testing days are never fun. Put allergies into the mix and YIKES. I hope the day goes quickly so you can go home and rest away from everything that’s budding and blooming.
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I can’t send you to your room, but I can give a hearty dose of sympathy, a full dollop of empathy, and encouragement to try a cup of tea and a long walk while remembering the old adage to (try) to accept those things you cannot change and (definitely) try to change what you can.
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