Orderliness.

Oh how the J in me longs for order, for everything to fall in their neatly prescribed places--no deviants allowed, only that which strictly complies with Sherise's world order.

Well, Sherise's world order is being overturned at the moment by 60+ seven and eight year olds.  They are far more adorable when you're not the one responsible for them, thus explaining my naivete entering this whole thing. Since being handed the reigns to their English learning just a week ago I've practically spent 80% of the classtime shouting, pleading, bribing kids into order.  I've never encountered such chaos in the classroom in my whole entire life.  I suppose 3+ years of working with mostly compliant adults has something to do with that.  But wait, I did have those delinquent art school students, but at least they wouldn't outwardly rebel in class, well, I take that back..they did...nevertheless, my current reality has given depth to my new favorite word around here, luan, which has the meaning of chaotic, messy. 

What to do when everything unravels before you?  I suppose that's the second law of thermodynamics right there--that everything moves from order to disorder (am I remembering that right?).  Why can't everything stay all nice and pretty?  I hate when it doesn't.  To make matters worse, the principal (not having yet observed my class) suggested to me today that others in the future can observe my class to get an idea of the 'charm' I have over the students.  Um, charm?  I wasn't quite ready to burst his bubble on that one.

I hope to bring order into the classroom (not just to save my own hide, though at the moment, I fear that's what's motivating me).  Admittedly I've brought chaos into their world by confusing their language and not properly maintaining the boundaries that they're familiar with. 

There was once a Perfect Order prescribed for us.  But we have made a mess for ourselves, and so Order was given new means, through a Restorer.

Thank goodness I'm not responsible for the restoration of that one.