Truly, it was a very loving day where I realized how deep of connections I had built up with my mentor teacher and my students.
My lovely mentor teacher sent me off in grand super-organized style that was the prefect mix of sentimental and preparatory items for my future classroom.
I have all the things a teacher could need...
- my own set of color-coded buckets
- juicy highlighters that won't a) blend through b) fade out halfway through a line
- magnets
- page protectors (those are expensive!)
- notepads
- sweet card and ornament from a fabulous mentor
- and of course chocolates to keep a weary teacher's spirits up during the home stretch of the busy day
All in all super thoughtful and make me feel loved.
My students went above and beyond anything I could have thought up. By the end of the day I had about 60 cupcakes, a cake (complete with an inch of icing) and multiple little trinkets of affection.
I was touched by any gesture, from an item, to a hug, a note. You work with these kids 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, week after week and then suddenly at the end you realize that they got connected to you too.
*Jacklyn brought me one of her own stuffed animals that she wanted me to have. Sometimes with everything these kids go through, and how crazy they act... I forget that they are mostly barely 12 years old. They show their love to you in anyway they can :) I was just lucky to be on the receiving end all day long.
My sweet *Lilda and the cake she made me :)
This got demolished in the teacher's lounge in about two lunch periods. Lilda: the teachers thank you for that sugar boost.
In my 2nd period class I have about 2/3rds of the 7th grade girl's volleyball team. They are an interesting mix of females and most of the time they try and pretend like they are way too cool for Texas History (like anyone can be haha). But when it came time to say good-bye, they all suddenly melted down and I was bombarded with a half dozen hugs/tackles.
The first class I ever took over was 5th period, so those kids will always have a special little compartment in my heart for better or worse. They were the hardest to part with.
This is about as good a group picture as I could get them to take, haha- they act like complete hams all the time but as soon as you turn a camera on them and ask them to smile they freeze up and do a blank stare.
I wanted my 5th period to know all the great things I see in them, so I wrote them each a note.
I just wanted to tell them each the awesome qualities they have and how I will remember them.
The nicest most touching gestures were the notes the kids wrote me. Sadly, my name was misspelled on a lot of them, but it's the thought that counts.
*Petra and I and the big card she made me. "D" wanted a picture of us, but she didn't want the other kids to see so we snuck out into the hall.
This note was from a shy sweet girl in my 5th period who made me promise to wait till she left before I read it.
*Ronnie handed me this on her way out of 1st period. She told me it was a snowflake, so I believe her. It was one of the most creative cards I got... even if it did take me a few seconds to figure it out.
My favorite part of this card (from one of my favorites) is that she misspelled my name... but asked on the actual card "Did I spell your name wrong?" Luckily I am a pretty horrible speller myself and I don't care at all haha
This card was from one of my more boisterous "active-participators" (teacher speak for 'kids who never stop talking') tables who didn't realize I was leaving until that day and made me a card while they were supposed to be doing Independent Practice. But oh well haha it's a nice gesture!
There were many other cards and little presents but I don't have the will to post them all up here. I'm going to keep these tokens somewhere safe so when rough days come up (and I know they will) I can pull out a card or a stuffed animal and remember that the struggles I went through for students past were worth every extra hour and every headache.
*I don't use anyone's real name in any blog, so don't go stalking them haha
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