"Here Miss Shannon!" a common phrase in our classroom...was followed by a student walking to hand me a leaf.  As I was reaching out my hand to say, “Thank you, remember, Nature belongs in Nature,” she announces, "But it has dog poop on it." Immediately I withdraw my hand and help her and the poor dog poop covered leaf outside. The leaf wasn't the only thing hit with the unfortunate substance....her shoe was covered with the stuff. Not just covered, like she could easily wipe it off in the grass. No. I mean covered into every groove, swoosh and arch on the bottom of her sneaker.

As I was wiping the pink shoe on the grass, then rinsing it under warm water, and scraping out the crevices with a paper towel.....the only thought I had was: "A Masters Degree? Really? I have a Masters Degree and I'm scraping dog poop off a student's shoe?"  Yes, as a first grade teacher, we educate the whole child. If part of that education involves me demonstrating patience and follow-through when Nature did not stay in Nature, then so be it.