Heat Wave finally comes- My poor students

So far this summer has been very mild. As of the middle of August Utah never had hit 100 degrees yet. For some this might be good news but for me this was not. I knew Utah would have to have a major heat wave before summer could end and I personally would rather that heat wave be in July. Why does it matter you might ask? Because my school does not have Air Conditioning and have you ever tried to teach 40 middle schoolers (yes about two of my classes have 40 students in them) in 105 degree temperature all crowded in a room? You have probably not had that experience but trust me when I say I would not wish it on my enemies. But that is what I have been doing for the past two weeks.

In fact, we were having so many heat related issues, such as kids getting light headed or have a heat related emergency that they had to announce that you could keep your kid at home no questions asked if you didn't want them in the heat. Unfortunately, that rule did not apply to teachers, in fact we were told we couldn't stay home because there are not enough subs as it is. So I was stuck in a very hot room all day with kids who could not keep their eyes open because they were so hot and they were MISERABLE!!!! My poor students...POOR ME!!!!

As bad as the heat is I do have to say there is a benefit: I don't turn on my A/C as much at home. Yep after four years of no air conditioning at school my body has adjusted and so know any temperature below about 78 is really cold to me. I am the girl who wears sweatshirts in May because I am cold. I also take blankets into restaurant (do you notice how cold they make those places I think the thermostat is like at 72 and that is REALLY COLD). Most days I go home and turn on a fan and that keeps me plenty cool. So I my electric bill is smaller than most people's in the summer. Though there is one place I keep the temperature down at like 62- my car. After being in my hot school and room all day I love to get my car frigid on the way home.

The last thing I want to share when it comes to heat is an exchange I had with a student (well I was talking to the whole class.

Me: Notice I have a lot of fans going in my room to try and keep things cool be respectfully. We are all in this heat together since the school doesn't have air conditioning.
Student shouts out: The school doesn't have air conditioning!!!! No wonder it is so blasted hot!
Me: You didn't know that?
Student: No, I thought you guys were just not turning it on to torture us.
Me: Trust me, if we had it we would be using it
Student: Not if you were trying to save money.
Me: (silence....) Well we don't have air conditioning to worry about so be nice to the fans because they help it to be a cool as possible. ( I really didn't know what else to say to the kid)

I have to say though that exchange makes me laugh and of course I shared it with all my fellow teachers who laughed as well. Gotta Love the innocent and slightly naive seventh graders. At least this kid is sufficiently scared of teachers if he believed we would make sit in 105 degree weather just to torture him.