On Monday, I thought it was a good idea...

Spirit Week, that is. Monday was a good day. Monday I got to wear pajamas to school. Pajamas! How many of you can say that about your job? So I donned my polka dotted pj pants and a UNC t-shirt (because I won't be here for Friday which is "Favorite Team Day". I'll be in Texas. And Texas will be all that is favorite to me at that point.) I swear by all that is true and holy that I am the best teacher I will ever be on "Pajama Day". I can't explain it, but something about teaching in my slippers makes me more organized, more patient, more forgiving and more articulate as I guide those little ones to greater knowledge of ancient Egypt, long division and how weather works.

Then comes "Red, White and Blue Day." I got to wear blue jeans on that day. That's good. Then "Wacky, Tacky, Crazy Hat/Hair Day". I wore blue jeans on that day too. Good. I just put a zebra striped skirt on top of them, added one blue sock and one red, red slip-on sneakers, a long sleeved cream shirt with black stripes under a hot pink t-shirt, and I was looking fab. It's on "Wacky, Tacky...Day" that everything starts to fall apart. Wacky, tacky does not make me the best teacher I could ever be.

Today is "School Spirit Day". I'm wearing blue jeans. So let's review. One day of pajamas and three days of blue jeans. I should be loving life, right? Every year, including this one even though it's my fifth, I think that Spirit Week is going to be awesome because I can be so relaxed about what I'll wear. And every year I realize that there really is something to that whole idea of Harry Wong's in The First Days of School. In it he quotes,

"As you are dressed,
so shall you be perceived;
and as you are perceived,
so shall you be treated."

Miss Unger in blue jeans? That means they think I'm their buddy. I'm less imposing, less impressive. The "evil eye" has had to make quite a few appearances this week but I can't really blame the kids too much. I can't really expect them to maintain the proper awe that is required whilst I parade around in polka-dotted pajama pants... can I?