Slacker's epiphany

Let me clarify up front that I am not really a slacker, so it is only to amuse myself that I title this post such. Really, I am more of a workaholic, which is actually far more shameful than being a slacker.

Anyone who has worked in education knows that no meeting is complete without snacks, and it was at a meeting this week that I learned how some foods can work to one's advantage.

It was the day after my first class back at grad school. As expected, I was beat and thankful for meticulously prepared lesson plans that gave me the luxury to focus on kids. I was in no mood, however, to sit through the upcoming staff meeting. On the agenda was someone from the district whose mission was to impart higher knowledge of the standardized tests that plague us we administer to students, so it would be especially important to look alive. In the lunchroom, the lot of us who were grumbling about it made a pact to smile, nod and refrain from unnecessary questions and comments. We anticipated it to be one of those lectures of trickle down information, the kind of which anyone of the working middle-class is familiar. Our goal was to keep its duration to a minimum so we could get on with our lives.

Usually I am one of the first to arrive at meetings, but this day was different. Initially, I didn't think about much of anything as I loaded my plate up with celery, carrots and crackers and helped myself to a rootbeer float. I was the last one to settle into her seat. I had only begun to nosh when the PowerPoint commenced. Lo and behold I couldn't understand a word the speaker was saying because there was too much noise in my head from my crunchy snacks. I obeyed my first instinct to stop eating and pay attention, but it didn't take long to realize that I would be much happier crunching away in ignorant bliss. It was a delightfully scandalous and freeing five minutes of not hearing what I needed to know with noone the wiser.

I genuinely understood for the first time why food is an integral part of the teaching culture.

Alas, my veggie vacation didn't last long. When the fickle finger of fate pointed at me to say something intelligible, I caved in. Luckily my words were met with nods of assent rather than suggestions to help myself to seconds.