I don't know what it is - but every year (without fail!), it happens. There's something about having been with one group of kids each step of their learning experience for a year - and there's something remarkable about tracing just how much they've grown.
Some memories are (literally) sweet - like our Poetry Chocolate House...
Some memories are sad - such as when a student leaves the class...
Some memories make us laugh and others make us sit back in wonder...
It's amazing, really, when you think about it, just how much these children absorb day in and day out. And, what I've found, is that they learn the most not when I'm speaking but when I'm acting...
They see patience (or, at times, lack of it), and they see how much I LOVE to read. They notice when I do something kind for someone or even stoop down to pick up a piece of trash or tie a shoelace. They notice when I smile and when I laugh. They see that sign language is something very special to me, and that when it's time for prayer I am 100% in the "zone." These are things they see me do - they don't just hear me talk about them. And then, they realize, these things are authentic and have meaning, and maybe they think they should try them too.
I've learned so much this year - while the transition from AZ was, indeed, a tough one, this new school community welcomed me with open arms. I've had incredible opportunities to learn from my fourth grade team and to teach in a very rigorous and demanding environment. I know I'm a better teacher because of it all.
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| flowers from a few students :) |
I'm excited for next fall - that's certain...but I think I'll enjoy a little summer first...
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