Skip to main content

Last days

Pulling sticky tacked posters off the wall......putting away books full of curriculum back on the shelf...... hours of entering grades and filling out several spreadsheets and filing.

The hustle and bustle of the end of the year has officially settled in. Within a few days, kids will skip out of the school building doors with huge smiles, summer plans and carefree fun on their minds.  And the teachers are often feeling the exact same way on that last day, if we are being completely honest. However, contrary to what many people may believe to be true of teachers at the end of the school year...there is always an element of sadness for me as I close the chapter on each class of kindergarteners.

In the craziness of the end being in sight, it is so easy to let the busyness steal the true joy of this time with my students. My word for the school year has been “intentional.”  It’s written outside my classroom door as a reminder and it has caused me to reflect often on how to focus my time and energy.  So as I finish this year it again has me thinking....how am I being intentional as a teacher even in the midst of the chaos of the last days?  I am finding it to look a little like this.

Stopping more. Intentionally stopping to take in the little faces in front of me.  Intentionally stopping what I’m doing to focus on these amazing people in the making and to be grateful for the time I’ve had to watch them grow.  Stopping to enjoy their personalities, their quirks, and their gifts. This has been a challenge for me....but oh so rewarding. Teaching is so very hard...but these moments bring me right back to my reason for being here in this classroom. ❤️ Many prayers and hugs to all my teacher friends in their final days. Take time to stop and enjoy these kids even during these crazy days. This exact group of little people will never again be here with you. ❤️

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 24, 2018 at 9:24 PM

    What a great challenge for all of us as educators...be intentional. Lovely!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sometimes, we aren't okay.

*******I am writing from my own personal perspective.  I do not claim to be representing all teachers during this time. We all have had different experiences navigating education during a global pandemic. Some are struggling through far worse and some have been impacted very little.  As always, I write for my own processing and with hope of being an encouragement to someone else to keep fighting the good fight.   Be honest with yourself and others. Teaching is a different kind of hard right now.  It's okay if you're not okay.********* I have had this experience lately that has really started to bother me.  I am usually out walking or at the store getting groceries and I run into someone I haven't seen much since school has started.  They see me and immediately ask, "How are you? How's school?"  Their care and concern is obvious, as is the sweet kindness they are showing, knowing full well school must be a little different right now.  Their questio...
5 comments
Read more

Well done.

There are so many thoughts I have as this school year comes to an end and I have been praying about the right words for all the feels, the frustrations, the relief, the continued anxiety, the pure exhaustion. So in honor of teacher appreciation week—here’s a short letter to all my fellow teachers that have persevered through an unprecedented time in education. ———————————— Dearest Teacher, Spray and wipe, wipe and spray. Stop for just a second. If I could be with you in person to say this, I would grab your worn hands and look you right in your tired eyes.  You have made it. You made it. There were days you were fully convinced you were not cut out for what would lie ahead in the 2020-2021 school year, but you actually made it. The school year is almost ready to tie up into a nice little bow and you will actually be able to say: It is finished.  If no one has told you lately—-I am SO freakin proud of YOU. Sincerely. You showed up each day whether in person, online, both or fli...
Post a Comment
Read more

Defying gravity.

“Where I come from, everyone knows the best way to bring folks together is to give them a common enemy.”—Oz, Wicked the musical   Public education is slowly becoming the common enemy and it is suffocating.  If this seems far fetched from your understanding and perspective, make time to share a space with your friends in education. How are they feeling right now?  Since social media allows us to feel like we can have a personal connection with someone, here is what I would share over a cup coffee if we could be face to face. As someone who has committed over 18 years serving children and families in my wonderful community in a public school, I can assure you. Public schools are not the enemy. Should everyone have the choice how they would like to educate their own children? Of course. That is something I believe with all my heart.  School choice is not the enemy of the public school. Those spreading false information and hate toward public schools are creating a...
Post a Comment
Read more