Classroom memories invade the tea aisle

Teachers are notorious for always thinking about their students. When they go home at night, they recollect conversations they’ve had with students or think about conversations they wish they’d had. When they travel, they think about how they wish their students could see or experience the same special places and activities. When they’re shopping and see something really special, it often ends up in their carts for their classroom.

It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise to me that my students once again entered my mind when I was grocery shopping this week. This time, I happened to be down the aisle that displays boxes of teas. There they were, the boxes all lined up neatly on the shelves, looking straight ahead and seeming very much like students sitting at their desks in the classroom. Seriously, I actually started thinking about my students in the tea aisle.

As I read the names of the different kinds of tea, I just started chuckling to myself. There was “Constant Comment,” the student who just can’t seem to stop talking, and down the row from it was “Calm,” who seems so low-key, even in the face of turmoil. As I kept reading, I came across “Monkey King,” the student who is constantly on the move and can’t seem to sit still. I am pretty sure this tea box was slightly out of the line from the others. Close by was “Gunpowder Greed.” I am not making this up. Over my many years of teaching, I can think of several students who come to mind with that name.

I came across the “Good Earth” teas, and I immediately thought of students who always want to help with the recycling program in the school and whose show-and-tell items or stories are usually related to nature. There was “Jasmine,” who really is a sibling to one of my students this year, and “Blood Pressure.” I thought more about the teacher on this one. When I came to “Revitalizing,” I thought of all the students who bring in nice little notes or drawings for the teacher — if only they knew how revitalizing their acts of kindness really are.

I don’t know what “Roobiboss” really is, but the name conjured up some past students, nonetheless. “Sleepytime” seemed to have a hard time sitting up straight on the shelf, while “Liberty” couldn’t seem to wait to go out to recess. “Breathe Easy” is always such a delightful addition to the classroom and helps balance out the mischievous “Huckleberry.” “Lemon Zinger” keeps teachers quite busy, but fortunately, every class also seems to have a few “Tension Tamers” to help keep things in balance. “G‘Day” conjured up the image of the morning routine at our school, with all of the students lined up, ready to exchange handshakes and greetings with their teachers.

When I read that “Gypsy Cold Care” was “tested for strength and purity,” I started thinking about how parents and teachers work together to help build strong, successful and confident students, knowing their strength and goodness will be tested, not only at school, but in life, but that such adversity often builds strong character.

But the one I actually laughed out loud when I read was “Aged Earl Grey.” That one had nothing to do with the students — that was saved just for me.

Diana Sloan-Basner is an elementary teacher at Birchtree Charter School. She started teaching in the Mat-Su School District in 1985 and loves to drink tea.