Leave It Alone

I went in my classroom yesterday after the last part of a workshop, and the cleaning crew had taken everything out to do the floors.  That happens every year, so it wasn't unexpected.  What was unexpected was that they had also taken everything down from my window sills and knocked stuff off my shelves, I suppose in an effort to dust and clean.  They'd also wiped messages from my class last year that I had carefully preserved off the boards.  The last I have of that class is now gone, taken away by an uncaring hand.

I was spitting mad. All my blinds were pulled up where the sun was just streaming in to fade out every single thing in the room. They had knocked down student projects I've had for years, torn up one that I don't think I can repair, and generally left things strewn hither, thither, and yon.  I know we have a whole new crew of housekeeping this year, and I did come in during the middle of the process, so I didn't go find anybody and say anything.  I am hoping that when I get back, I won't find that giant mess waiting on me.

I am very fussy about my room, about what goes in it, about how it looks.  I know that may seem ridiculous to some people.  However, I am in that space much more, actually, during the school year than I am in my own home.  That room is also a part of the way I interact and instruct my students.  It is important to me that it look appealing, that it be filled with interesting and instructional things, displays that inspire curiosity and showcase the amazing work of which my students are capable. 

To have unfeeling hands generally smashing and tossing because it isn't theirs and because they don't care is infuriating.  I hope this is not going to be indicative of the rest of the year.