Liscensed to Teach

It was a normal, humdrum day.  The kids in my class were their normal, hyper selves and true delights (especially when they yelled loudly at one another inside).  We went outside on time, to the chagrin of the children who wanted to play inside, and the teachers waited for breakfast while the kids played and reminded us they were starving to death every five minutes.  Just another typical day.

One moment everything was calm (as calm as things can be with five-year-olds) and predictable.  The next moment everything changed.  The assistant director came to the playground and announced that licensing had arrived for a surprise visit.  We have two licensing visits a year, one is supposedly announced and the other is a surprise.  At my job they all seem to be surprises. 

The teachers held their breath for a moment, allowing the significance of what we had just been told sink in.  And then we were in high gear, double checking everything:  our attendance, the outlet covers in the wall which are inevitably misplaced most weekends, and securing all dangerous objects (such as that machete you thought the children would really like to see). 

My peaceful day was suddenly full of stress.  The novice teachers and assistants were quivering with nerves and the rest of us were yelling at every child leaving the bathroom to flush the toilet and then double checking to make sure they actually did.  After teaching for eight years and going through many licensing visits such as this I was no longer shaking in my boots.  But I was still flustered.  It's amazing how much power a nice, pregnant, licensing lady can wield.  Suddenly all thoughts of schedule and routine vanished from my brain and the simple act of serving breakfast became as complicated as brain surgery.

When someone analyzes everything you do and expects perfection it really affects a person.  I'm glad God knows not to expect perfection from me.  Yes, he analyzes me for all my flaws, but with his perfect judgement he only shows me what I can handle and graciously accepts me just as I am.  And despite all of us imperfect teachers we did a great job under the scrutiny of licensing.