Short Cuts to Fifth Grade

The first day of school is always nerve racking, unless you make it fun. Take Michael Charles for example. Michael always wanted to find a way to make school fun. Like in third grade he tried to get a little laughter into the kids system by trying to make it snow, in the classroom! Instead Michael ended up with a substitute teacher for a month because Miss Ingle, his original teacher, slipped on the ice he poured and broke her nose. In fourth grade he was a little too exited to go to the beach for a field trip, so decided to bring the beach to school. Michael Charles was known as the sand man from that day on. But now Michael is in fifth grade where Miss Johnson will not have any enthusiasm for Michael’s behavior. As soon as Michael heard this, things got a little out of hand. Michael kind of took it the wrong way and tried to change Miss Johnsons mind. When the sixth graders, who had Miss Johnson, heard this they all wished Michael good luck.
For Michael the first day of fifth grade was, well let’s just say, it was awful! The kids were mean and the teacher was even worse. And they didn’t get recess as much as last year, in fact they didn’t get recess at all. Michael hated it, as well as everyone else in the classroom. The kids were miserable and they weren’t even in the middle of their first day yet. So, Michael knew, after the pop quiz that everyone flunked, it was time to take action. Some kids encouraged Michael and others not so much. But Michael didn’t care. He was so caught up in defeating the evil Miss Johnson, also known as Miss Joliath, that he hardly noticed them. On the second day Michael knew that today Miss Johnson would have at least a smirk on her face when she left Anmoring Elementary School. In order to accomplish this Michael had to get Miss Johnson out of the room. In order to do this Michael had to turn to a professional liar, his sister. Michael’s sister, Ann, was only six, but boy could she lie! She lied her way out of wearing an itchy, torn, unsown, shirt Michael’s blind grandma made for them by saying she was allergic to grandma’s smell. So Michael knew that if you needed a liar, Ann was the way to go. And Ann was all for it, you paid her. So Michael paid Ann sixty cents and they got down to business. “Miss Johnson! Miss Johnson!” Said Ann screaming into Miss Johnson’s classroom. “Someone is trying to eat your, umm, fat free fat cakes!” As soon as Miss Johnson fled Michael and his team popped in and readied the attack.
As Michael and his classmates waited in a giggly fashion, Miss Johnson had just walked in when…Splat! A pound of chowder came down on Miss Johnsons grey head of hair. Miss Johnson Screamed with extreme rage and anger. “Who did this?” Miss Johnson questioned. The class grew so quiet that you could only hear the heat coming from Miss Johnson. Again she asked in a hushed tone, “Who did this?” The kids all slowly pointed to Michael. “Michael Charles” Miss Johnson said in a not so surprised tone. “Y-ye-yes?” Michael stuttered to answer. Room 109 was silent. Finally after a minute of awkward silence Miss Johnson said quietly “Michael?” Slowly and nervously Michael answered “Y-yes?” With a fiery, angry, raging voice Miss Johnson replied “DETENTION!”
It was finally Friday, and the students in Miss Johnson’s class were very tired from all the lectures, pop quizzes, and just from listening to what she had to say. At home Michael got a lot of grief from his parents about getting a detention. His mom was disappointed. His dad figured Michael would get a detention sooner or later. And his sister, well, she just laughed. Michael knew it was wrong to get a detention, but the question in his mind was why he got the detention in the first place. All Michael was trying to do was put a smile on Miss Johnson’s saggy, old, grey face that was never lov-. Michael cut himself off to think. Miss Johnson isn’t married, is she? For a minute Michael had a cold chill come over him and thought. Maybe she stuffed an apple in his mouth and locked him in the teachers lounge or maybe…?
At school Michael’s curiosity grew to the point where he wouldn’t even talk to Miss Johnson. In class Michael just sat there staring at Miss Johnson. Every second she looked more and more like a criminal, well in his mind. “Michael” said Miss Johnson in a firm questioning way. “What is the square root of 144?” Michael understood the question and he knew the answer but it seemed like the only thing Michael could even think about saying was “You’re a criminal!” For some reason everyone turned around wide-eyed looking at him with there mouths open. Suddenly Michael realized that he didn’t just think it he said it too!
When class ended Miss Johnson asked Michael to stay behind. Right after she closed the door behind the other children, Michael knew exactly what this was about. “I am not impressed with your behavior, Michael. I am too busy to give you your detention that I’m cutting it off, because it is the beginning of the year.” Michael sighed a breath of relief. “But I do want to have a conference with your parents.” Michael breathed worriedly. “I would like to talk to you and your parents about calling me a criminal, having your sister lie to me, pouring chowder on my head, teaching my students disrespect! Honestly, Michael this has got to stop!” When Miss Johnson released him, Michael ran out of the room and went straight home, being very carful not to tell his parents.
When Michael got home he didn’t say hi or anything. He just ran to his room. As Michael was laying on his bed thinking, he knew, as he reviewed what Miss Johnson said, that he would have to change. So on Wednesday Michael was not Michael! His hair was gelled and he, for some reason, was wearing white strips! People laughed, stared, and teased Michael that day but he just laughed along with them. Miss Johnson was the most and only impressed person in the whole school. And for the first time, since first grade, Michael Charles studied! And when his best friend, Tyler, asked to hang out with him Michael said, “No, I have to study.” So everyone knew, after that, they needed to loosen him up.
At school nothing changed. The cafeteria was loud, the classrooms were insane, and Michael was, well, not Michael. Michael’s classmates were secretly planning a surprise that would get Michael Charles to finally CRACK! When Michael walked into his homeroom he walked into a party! There were streamers, party favors and a big sign? Michael read the sign which said,
YOU CAN ONLY PARTY IF YOU CAN HAVE FUN
Michael didn’t understand the sign so he just hopped in to join all the kids dancing and was pushed right back out.
“Didn’t you read the sign, Michael?” Asked Jessica Connors, a girl in Michael’s class. “Only fun people can come in.”
“But, but I am fun! Michael sighed. “Well what am I supposed to do while you all are having fun?” Asked Michael.
“You get to sit with Miss Johnson.” Declared Tyler.
So Michael went to sit with Miss Johnson and had a nice big chat.
Miss Johnson told him that she too was a fifth grader, whether he believed it or not. She also told Michael that even if he feels he should change himself just to make someone happier to remember that she always wants her students to express themselves. Miss Johnson told Michael that the things he did this year were good memories and were shortcuts through fifth grade. “Remember, Michael. School would go by quickly if you yourself made the school year fun and exiting and got some learning in” Miss Johnson laughed “And don’t hate the teacher.”

-By Emily Gaul
Age 11