Reub's journey

16 June 2011

Last day of school

A class pet ("Ol' Red," the corn snake) goes home with a student for the summer

Today was the last day of school, which is one more part of the year's cycle that I always look forward to with a mixture of joy and sadness. I love being a teacher, and the routine that develops: the keen anticipation in September, the depth of it all in the middle months, the  realization in spring that everyone has grown, even me. And the end of the year is like a grand finale of fireworks: field trips, rocket launches, chess tournaments, plays, a "mock congress,"and an amazing talent show, all of these things in the making for months. Of course there are lots of great things going on throughout the school year, but the knowledge that there is an end to it all seems to bring a special urgency. The excitement in the spring and fall of a school year is palpable.


 The suddenly quiet hallways always shock me. Spooky, in a place that is normally a rollicking environment of laughter, chatter, and hormones.



 Tomorrow I have to go back, clean up my room, enter grades, write a personal reflection to submit to my boss, and yes, prepare my room for September, when the whole process repeats itself.

5 comments:

  1. you sound like you really love what you do. God bless you for it!

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  2. Oh yes I remember ALL of that! We would pull an all-nighter at the end of school. Most teachers would stay, complete grades, close up the classroom for summer, & eat all sorts of junk food! When dawn rolled around everything was done and summer had begun! Fun!

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  3. When, in years to come, the children look back and remember with fondness their favourite teachers, i'm certain your name will be mentioned many, many times.

    I hated school, mainly because of the myriad teachers who looked like they couldn't be bothered. I think that rubbed off on me!! I wish i'd had a teacher with your enthusiasm. But do you REALLY look forward to September? Utter madness...!

    Saul

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  4. Wow, the pics of the lockers, and the dark school hallway - so resonant! Very very very very very cool.

    Happy summer!

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  5. Hey Saul! I don't look forward to September yet, nope. I just look forward to next week. Completely unscheduled. But by the time August is ending, I really will look forward to school again, yeah. When I retire next year, how will I compensate?

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