Metadata: f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 200
*sigh* I am 4 weeks behind on my Project 52. Luckily.... I'm on VACATION and will be able to update *soon*ish.
The end of the school year brings a lot of very big changes - and a summer to take them all in. There were lots of firsts and lasts during our end-of-school celebrations. Many welcomed, but many more difficult to digest. Perhaps an appropriate ending to such a cluster of a year. ;o)
I said goodbye to my very first year of teaching. So much learned, lost, and most importantly: so much loved. I realized that the better I can balance my reliance on myself and others who love me, the better educator I can be. Even though it was a tough year, my environment and cast of characters made every anxious moment worth it. As Mr. Stalcup would recount: we earned our stripes... maybe even two. :o) I welcome the break from Middle School, but will certainly miss those students who won't be with us next year.
Our family said goodbye to very dear friends: The Lamberts. Our fellow Hunger Game enthusiasts moved back to the Lonestar State to be closer to family and after a week of them being where they need to be, our hearts are still a bit empty without them here. Difficult is having a faculty meeting in Rebecca's room without her. Memories flooded in from the first week of Professional Development: the "cool" teacher with the feather in her hair and the lie of being from Argentina. No way that white chick is from Argentina, my mind told me. That was certainly not the first time I was wrong this year -- and what a wonderful, courageous, beautiful, and loving soul that song bird from South America has. I am grateful to call her (and her awesome boys) family. And I still maintain that I will *in fact* move with her to Argentina when she starts her sensational singing career to nanny/teach her children and mine and live vicariously through her. Of course, I might visit Texas first, but.... we'll see. :o)
I said goodbye to my classroom. Ugh. First World Problems, I know -- we are lucky to have a roof to teach under and gourmet food for lunch, so I should not be complaining about what hallway I teach in. Call the Wah-mbulance. Nevertheless, I was distraught learning that I would need to move all of my things from Hemingway (Humanities) to Einstein (Math & Science) hallway. Just when I thought I had my room organized the way I wanted it, I had finally found a system (178 days after the beginning of school....) and then... CHANGE. Call it a theme. After a quick (*ahem* sorta quick) pity party, I packed my boxes and off I went, thinking positive thoughts. I have a job next year. I'm teaching something I love. I am with folks I adore. Rose is across the hall(!) Sad to leave my comfort zone and still unsure of how I feel about the new digs, but adoring my new neighbors' support and my awesome green desks. Indeed. It is the little things.
We said our [perhaps hardest] goodbyes to two amazing educators who will begin a new chapter next fall. One, my unbelievably patient mentor on the LA team. The other, an amazing source of strength and reassurance in a roller coaster of a year. Moments of understanding from a challenging year are the hardest to remember. Like the time I couldn't handle a decision about one of my advisees and LJ gave me a reassuring hug that she understood how defeated I felt. Or the tiny moments of success I was able to celebrate with KG when a lesson I developed actually worked, or one of my "guys" asked a blatantly reciprocal question. Why yes, I would say, I am having a good day. THANK you for asking me! They left me with wise words to live by and memorable plays for the teacher manual. So often I think, "How would LJ phrase this?" or "What would K Gal do?" And these always translated easiest into: "How would [they] show their students they love them?" Their expertise in knowing our kids and their unyielding passion for finding where to meet them is inspiring. & of course the best words came on that last day:
"Be true to who you are and never bend your values."
A truth well spoken.
Best wishes & good luck.
And now? One day at a time.
Welcome, summer. <3
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