saying goodbye

Tuesday was our last day of school. It's hard to believe that an entire school year has passed. It's even more amazing to think about everything that has transpired in those nine months. At the beginning of the year I really didn't think that I would make it through. The memory of breaking down in my kitchen after a difficult day of work is still vivid in my mind. But I'm not a quitter, and I knew that I would see it through to the end. I'm so glad that I did. Even though there were very bad moments (being punched by our student with severe emotional behavioral problems comes to mind), there were also so many very good moments. Even though we don't admit to having favorites, obviously teachers do, so there are some kids that I will remember more than others and some that I would like to forget. Regardless, I'm sure that I will always remember all 24 kids that came through my classroom this year. It was so satisfying to see how much they grew and learned over the year, and it was gratifying to know that I played such a significant role in their lives. I know that I was instrumental in the running of that classroom, and I am so proud of myself for all that I accomplished. I think that I will be able to take away so much of that experience and apply it to my internship next year, when I am on the other side of things.

Monday, our second to last day of school, we had a field trip to the Minnesota Zoo. It was a dreary day, with a misty rain coming and going throughout, but it was also nice because Mira came along as a chaperone. It was so much fun to give her a tour of Museum Magnet and introduce her to the people that I've been working with this year and all of the kids that she's heard so much about. I wish that I could have done that for all of you. But I do have lots of pictures that I took over the last two days, which I can't wait to share. I'm not going to post them on here, because I think it would be inappropriate to post pictures of them on the Internet for all to see, without their parents' permission. Granted, I'm sure that there are not massive numbers of strangers perusing my blog, but you never know. So I'm going to create a private album, and I'll e-mail an invitation to everyone who I know reads this. If you don't receive an invite and want one, let me know!

So what's next for me, now that my time with the kindergartners has ended? Summer school begins on June 22nd and at my own request, Principal Brookins has placed me with the 3rd and 4th graders. It should be an interesting change. That lasts for three weeks, and then things are still a little up in the air. I'm looking forward to a fun and laid-back summer. It will probably be the last one for a while!

Thanks to everyone for all the love and support that you've given me during this challenging and rewarding experience. I couldn't have made it through this past year without all of you.