Here we go again, teachers! The 2024-2025 school year has officially kicked off, and let me tell you, it has been anything but boring for me. In just the first few days, I saved a raccoon’s life, ran from a bat, and made it through not one, but two four-hour power outages. How’s your school year starting? Hopefully with a little less chaos than mine! 😅
So, what do you do when the unexpected happens? First of all—lean on your team! Seriously, your fellow teachers are the best resource when things get wild at school.
The First Power Outage
Five minutes into the school day, and bam—the power goes out. This was a first for my school, so at first, the plan was, “Keep teaching! The power will come back soon.” (Spoiler: it didn’t). I quickly huddled up with the other teachers on my hallway to come up with a plan. We tried to keep teaching, but let’s be real—it’s tough when there’s no power and a room full of distracted kids!
After about 30 minutes with no lights, no AC (and in our case, no windows), I checked my phone. The power company estimated power would be restored by 5 PM (!!!). At that point, my team and I made a new plan: we’d catch up on curriculum another day. Instead of forcing through a sweltering classroom, we decided to take the kids outside for some fresh air. The district kept school in session but gave parents the option to check their kids out early. A little outdoor time saved the day!
Quick Ideas for Keeping Students Busy When Chaos Strikes
When the unexpected happens and your lesson plan goes out the window, here are a few ways to keep your students occupied:
- Let them use their phones (but keep them together as a class). I know, phones in class are usually a no-no, but in these moments, it can save your sanity!
- Teach them a card game. I keep a few decks of cards handy just in case. This week, I taught my students how to play Scum, and they loved it!
- Riddles! Have a few riddles up your sleeve and let them guess the answers. It’s a great way to keep their minds engaged while still giving them a break. The Green Glass Door Riddle is a great one, and keep your students occupied for a long time if you deliver it right.
And if life throws an unexpected curveball outside of school, don’t stress. Have some no-prep emergency sub plans ready to go. Trust me—it’s a lifesaver! Here are some of my favorite resources to keep handy for an emergency sub plan: Number Sense Activities, Vocabulary Review, Integer Bingo.
The Second Power Outage: Round Two
So, the second power outage hit—and this time, it was planned by the power company (but apparently, nobody thought to let the school know!). The second the lights went out, the students cheered like it was the best news ever. But as teachers, we were a little wiser this time. Plus, the weather was cooler, so it wasn’t as brutal as the first outage.
We quickly huddled up in the hallway and came up with a plan. Students pulled out their phone flashlights, and we did a mini discussion with some good old-fashioned note-taking. Afterward, I gave them their assignment, and we did our best to keep things moving, even in the dark!
Once the power was back, my team and I made a video of the full lesson so the students could watch it at home if they needed more help. It was definitely one of those “roll with the punches” moments, but we made it work!
The Raccoon Rescue
Now, for the raccoon story. Before students arrived, I was heading out of one of our first teacher meetings and walked past a grate. All of a sudden, little raccoon hands poked out and scared the daylights out of me! The poor thing was trapped underground. I ran to the office, and we got animal control to rescue it. Definitely not how I expected my day to start, but I’m glad the little guy made it out safely.
And Then, the Bat…
This happened just before students arrived too (thank goodness!). My math teacher besties and I were leaving school together when we spotted a bat chilling on a heater vent in the breezeway. I had never seen a bat in the wild before and honestly? It freaked me out! We bolted back inside, called the office, and our amazing custodian relocated it to a safe place outside. Crisis averted!
Anyway, that’s been my two weeks of the school year! Here’s hoping the rest of the year is a little less dramatic. I’d love to hear how your start has been—hopefully, it’s been less eventful than mine!
Cheers to a new school year! Keep calm and teach on. 💪