the next 175 school days taught me so many things. how to be overly patient. how to tell them to sit down in 20 different phrases. how to tie 2 shoes at once. how to teach someone to read. how to explain why the hour hand is indeed the short hand and why we put our right hand on our hearts when we say the pledge. how to motivate a 7-year-old to pick up scraps off the floor. how to edu-tain 6-year-olds all day. how to wipe a snotty nose without getting snot on your hand. how to send a child to the bathroom without interrupting class. how to have eyes in the back of my head. how to teach the formation of letters. how to tactfully talk to parents. how to bite my tongue when i wanted to scream. how to find joy in every moment. how to love more than i've ever loved.
they always say the first year of teaching is the hardest. i don't know that i agree... but i haven't experienced my second year yet. i really just couldn't have asked for a better group of kids to start this journey as a teacher. i don't know how long i'll be teaching, but i do know that i am in the perfect career.
the last day of school was nothing short of difficult. i teared up a good 4 or 5 times throughout the day. when all my kids swarmed around me for a group hug at the end of the day, it was all i could do not to burst into tears. then the bell rang and they all left. they walked out of my room and onto the second grade. and the tears came. 3 students came running back in, sobbing, grabbing my waist and refusing to let go. i had to walk one to her car because she was so hysterical. got a text from a few other concerned moms saying their child was inconsolable after school. one mom said her daughter cuddled with her for 3 hours just whimpering, so sad to leave school. i guess you could say they liked me, ha ha. and hey, i loved them back.
but, i will soon be replaced by a new favorite teacher. the little boys will develop a new crush. the girls will find someone new to tell their secrets to. but i will always remember my perfect first little class of first graders at canyon rim academy. to say they have changed my life would easily be an understatement.
we had an end of year program where they proudly showed off some songs they have been learning this year. the highlight of my days is sitting at the piano with them and singing, teaching them new songs, singing old ones, and laughing together. i love when they make up their own words or add new phrases to the ends of the real ones. they are darling. the program was perfect, and i was just beaming at the piano for the full 30 minutes, moved by their darling smiles and reminiscing in my brain about all the hard and great times we've had this year.
my heart has grown this year in ways i didn't imagine. one day into summer break and i'm already feeling sad from kid withdrawal. walking into my empty classroom today made it worse. it might be a long summer, but will be a much needed break. here's to a magnificent 175 days, and let the countdown till august 26 begin!
(sorry the picture is a little blurry... it was taken mid-group hug, and i was laughing soo hard!)
