Noise

Fire drills are a part of the school routine. Once a month, the fire alarm went off and all the students orderly walked out of their classrooms to their designated area on the playground or parking lot. Some students just walked. Others had their fingers in their ears due to the piercing sound of the alarm. Some walked with their index finger over their lips to designate they were being quiet in order to hear instructions. After I went out to signal the "all clear" for classes to return to the building, I usually walked towards the kindergarten, especially at the beginning of the year. An extra set of hands was sometimes needed to get everyone back to where they belonged. Sometimes, kindergarten students liked to run and play on the playground because the signal to return to the room did not mean anything to them yet. Then spring would come, and mandatory tornado drills would begin once a month. Upon seeing a kindergartner after the tornado drill, he looked at me and said, "That tomato drill was REALLY loud!". He was so serious. I replied, "Yes, we have two more tomato drills to go this year!" He grinned, and we moved on. You have to love their innocence.