Time's Up...Almost

The time is drawing ever nearer - now the countdown for students stands at 2.5 days till summer break ...a little more for teachers.

Yesterday was a lot of fun - my sister came to visit my classroom and, in doing so, turned a few heads. The kiddos were still asking about her today.

Today, students full out asked me if I am teaching middle school religion next year. (Word sure travels fast at our school.) To my affirmative response, I received two very different student responses:

Student A: "Wow, you'll be perfect for that."
Student B: "Did you even teach us religion last year? I don't remember."

I think (or, at least, I hope) Student B was being silly.

The reality is starting to hit. It's strange but true that I am looking at the middle schoolers differently now. And for the fifth graders - it's going to be take 2. (I've never looped before.)

Since the students now know, I've started making my pile of books and materials to move upstairs at the end of the year. One student - bless her heart - thought I had to put everything in my car and take it home for the summer. (Thanks goodness we don't have to do that! I imagine that would be a big deterrent to buying and stocking up on books for the classroom!)

It's amazing, though, how much I have accumulated for the fourth/middle elementary level over the past 5 years - so many books, resource materials, stuffed animals, books on CD, etc. I promised my co-teacher to leave most of my materials behind (and I am), so I know they'll be well-read and put to good use next year. I am, however, taking some student novels and other things, as well as all of my religious books in order to start a small "loaning library" for the teachers at school. Plans/Hopes are small, but we'll see how it can grow.

Yes, it's not long until the end of school now. Let's end this year right!

In other Catholic School-related news - this time on the Archdiocesan level - found out about the new strategic plan, To Teach Who Christ Is. Excited to learn more about this initiative and how Catholic education will benefit!