Class Dismissed

It's that time of year again! You know, the time when my friends start to get all emotional about saying goodbye to their students and I make fun of them? Yep, that time! There are two days left of school and at this point we're all kind of running around getting signatures, turning things in, and packing up our classrooms. I've had some very helpful students helping me pack (and having sing-a-longs) these past few days and, while my classroom is a complete disaster at the moment, it's been kind of fun.

Earlier this week I was writing in one of my student's "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" book and...I got emotional.

This class has been one of my most challenging, but also one of my favorites. (I say "challenging" instead of "bad" because it's nicer.) I've done a lot of soul searching with this class and these kids and have definitely learned a lot about myself as a teacher.

There are absolutely things I would have changed about my teaching this year. There are also a ton of things that I completely loved this year. I have seen some of my students make amazing growth, both academically and socially. Some went from being below grade level to ending the year above, and some grew so much socially/behaviorally that it actually does hurt to let them go. I have enjoyed watching them grow so very much.

Sometimes I feel that we get so caught up in the academics (I know. It's school.) that we forget about that we are also teaching little humans how to human. I have loved the changes I've seen this year. From students recognizing their own behaviors to having my shy ones completely come of out of their shells. They have changed and, hopefully, so have I.

I do say it every year: this job changes you. And that's not a bad thing. It's not always easy, either. It's hard to look at yourself, an all-knowing adult, and realize that a class full of little people is teaching you a life lesson. Besides patience, of course.

This year I have loved my sing-a-longing, book reading, hero loving kiddos.

Yeah, I might be sad this year.

But, then again, I'll see them all soon.

Happy (last two days of) teaching!

A Week in the Life

This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week, so parents and administration spoiled us with all kind gifts and snacks. Getting up on Monday I had this bright idea that I was going to do some photo documentation of a week in the life a teacher. It's usually about this time of year that I do an end-of-the-year post, so I thought it would be fun to go through it in pictures.

We'll see how well it works.

Monday's are always hard so I tried to make myself look presentable. Sometimes how you look changes your attitude or something. Also, I like when my kids tell me I'm pretty because I'm shallow that way. :)

Sitting in traffic on the bridge and actually put together on a Monday morning. Hooray!

Making my coworkers take pictures of me in my doorway to prove that I looked halfway decent on Monday morning. 

Cookies on Monday morning? Yes, please! 

Yes, I am eating ice cream in my classroom in the dark...alone.

Cup number three? Or four? I've lost count.

                                                           

                                               It isn't always easy to workout at home.

Tuesday! Tuesdays should be easier but they totally aren't. As the week goes on it gets harder to get up and get moving. This is mostly because I love sleep. There aren't a lot of pictures for Tuesday because most of the time I'm, you know, teaching. 

Almost ready? Maybe

Second coffee picture. Coffee is life and you can't tell me any different.

Set up for grading in my home office/guest room. Most of my work gets done at home because sometimes I just can't find the time during the school day to get it done. Also, here I can work in my pajamas. 

The view from the other side of my computer, which is what I'd rather be doing because books are life (like coffee). 

Super proud of myself for trying to get into shape this week. 

Wednesday! There's literally one picture from school on Wednesday and it's this one. The end of the year means testing and testing means we switch schedules with the upper grades. This means that I have a long afternoon with my kiddos. I covertly took this pic as they cleaned up math centers. Teacher's tired, y'all. 

Another run and some new sneaks for me! 

Trying to grade papers but being emotionally compromised by a superhero show at the same time. 

Ugh, Thursday! We're so close to the end but really not, you know? 

I like to match.

Glad to see you're using your time wisely, boys.

FRIDAY! Friday is the best because it's the weekend, but also the worst because there is SO MUCH TO DO STILL. 

Friday also means the end of Teacher Appreciation Week and that means presents! 

It was Cinco de Mayo so we made sangria and called it fruit punch. (We're learning how to measure liquids, okay?)

Still awake/alive at lunchtime on Friday. Go me!

I'm in love with all of this superhero stuff. It's like the theme was made for me. 

Tacos with my people! We didn't choose tacos because of Cinco de Mayo, but because we had buy one get one free coupons. 

We also took to the theaters for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Chris Pratt. 

So, I didn't get quite as many pictures of myself as I'd like. (Sad, I know.) It was a fun experiment, though. I got pretty busy toward the middle of the week with the whole teaching thing. And the grading. And the wrangling of small children. 

That's what a week of my life kind of looks like, I guess. It isn't glamorous, but it isn't bad. The best part is that I get to spend my days doing what I love with people that I enjoy. There's a little less than a month left of school and we're all getting pretty restless. I feel it and I know they feel it. So, like I say at the end of every year: make the most of this time with your students. You never know what kind of impact you'll have on their lives. I know I'm changed every year. 

Here's Baby Groot waving goodbye because I literally just want to keep staring at him forever. 

HE'S SO CUTE.