It’s commonly known that to understand it, a life must be experienced, and can’t be simply explained. Maybe teaching school is like that, too.

And just like life, living it doesn’t mean it all makes sense. I encounter a lot of unexplainable things at school.

Such as, how do erasers always disappear from the same place, only to turn up in exactly the place they were missing from moments earlier? Where do they go while they are mysteriously gone?

Do children plan in advance to all be sleepy on the same day? Do they have secret “class sleepy days” planned among themselves as a means of making teachers feel tired, too?

Why does one child’s pencil sharpener spill three times in math class? Why is it that the students who enjoy math and are working quickly are not spilling pencil shavings, and the one who dislikes the subject is spending so much time sweeping?

And why is the same child who takes more time to complete the lesson also meticulous enough to actually sweep the floor well?

At what point in the year did I start answering their questions before they ask them? Why are their questions so predictable that I can do this, even though those questions may be completely off topic?

“Recess is in 7 more minutes.” “Your eraser is under your desk.” “Yes, please give your story a title.” “No, don’t fling the paintbrush to see what happens.” “Sure, which question do you need help with?”

What causes children to say everything they think, and how do they calmly carry on when I need time to recover from what I heard? Do children speak a different language than adults?

Are children aware of how wise they sound at times? Do they begin to grasp how profound the lessons are that they have taught me?

What is it about children playing catch, or taking swing rides, that makes a teacher hum along to the rhythm of it all?

How do you describe the feeling when you find a note on your desk from a student, with flowers, hearts, pigs, rainbows, or chickens drawn on it… and my name, misspelled, with the words “I love you” scrawled in grade 4 cursive.

Is there anywhere more intriguing than spending every day observing children, and learning to see the world through their eyes?

And the greatest unknown of all is this: how, when, and why, did I become so blessed to live among all these mysteries?