Since the school year is winding up, I view it as my end of the year, and it is only appropriate to sit back and reflect on what a year this has been.
Overall, I am beyond pleased as I look back and remember what has happened. What a year of growing, learning, and true wonder.
I LOVED the amazing group of kids that was lent to me for the past 9 months. Sure, there were plenty of bumps and bruises along the way, but these kiddos brought so much joy to each and every day. This year was indeed a challenge personally. I spent the majority of the year so torn about what to do come the last day of school, and spent way too many hours on the search for different apartments to live in in order to flee the horribly built places here in Branson. I feel like all I ever do is pack!! Ick! It was also hard being so far away from my family, and since the majority of my friends have found other places to trek off to, it was difficult without as much support from outside of my classroom. I also did learn to trust more openly, and give up a bit of control in my life, which was difficult!! I feel that I am still in the major process of this lesson and prayers are welcomed! :) It's also kinda funny because something that I remember from my 6th grade report card was that, in one area, I got marked "needs improvement," and that area was: risk taking. Well, I think right now is my time where I am finally able to say that I now can move that mark to "satisfactory." I am taking one big risk giving up my job and wandering into the great unknown future.
This year my students were truly my saving grace. My kids and families were unbelievably appreciative, supportive, and uplifting. They were my family and home during the year which gave me the reason and purpose to get up along with invest so many hours into my job. They took away the annoyances and made teaching them the most rewarding thing I can think of. I can truly say that I am dreading the last day of school. Little pieces of them will be carried with me in my heart.
So, on another note, I had the kids write to a prompt the other day. They needed to tell their readers something only they know about me. It was sooooo fun to read through what they picked up on through the time of our bonding. Here are some of my favorite responses: (please forgive the mistakes...remember, they are only 2nd graders :) )
*Dear Next Years Class,
This paper is a secert all about Ms. Johnson. Well her birthday is April 27. She will not tell how old she is but we found out what day and month is was. The good thing is she is so nice, sweet, kind, helpful, conssdrite, and lots more things. But this is the bad thing when she gets mad she is mad. So I would be on your best behavier. If you are not lissoning I would start lissoning. You will have a great year and you will have so much fun, lagh all day long. When you have a subtoot (substitute) just imagine it is Ms. Johnson. Do your best on all of your tests. And pay all and I mean all of the hug tax. Just don't give her a hard time.
*Ms. Johnson is nice because Ms. Johnson gets us sprizes. Her favorite football team is the green bay packers and her favorite coler is green.
*Dear next years class,
Ms. Johnson is as fun as going to the zoo. I need to let you no Ms. Johnson hates humming. (Hehe, it drives me NUTS and I made that clear from the beginning of the year!) She loves cookies. She also loves good classes.
*I have some advice for you. Do your own work and don't make Ms. Johnson do the thinking and don't make the other kids do the thinking. (I do tell them this quite frequently!) P.S. Ms. Johnson doesn't like bugs.
*Dear 2nd grade class,
Ms. Johnson has a dog named Bella she is as cute as a button. Ms. Johnson is the nices teacher on earth. Hay you shood love Ms. Johnson.
*Dear students,
She is very cool and very nice helpfoll fun and cinda crazi. A grait teacher knos a lot. Shes not meen. Just remember not to hum or wistle thats when she gets crazi.
*Ms. Johnson is very nice because she likes to plan fun stuff. Ms. Johnson also likes triking you a lot so wach out. And she likes to have a lot of fun with everybody. And she likes a lot of suger.
*Dear next years class,
The first day of school brin a cookie because Ms. Johnson will want a cookie tax. Ms. Johnson will also want something green because she loves the packers. If you get an A on a test Ms. Johnson might give you a jolly rancher and she will also let you have a snack on daily 5.
*I want to tell you about my teacher Ms. Johnson. First of all she is very nice and sometimes she plans fun activeties like making chalk and doing fun stoff with white shaving cream. She has a dog named bella. She knos a lot of cool spanish Because she used to take spanish class. her favorite color is green. she likes the team green bay pakers. She likes pokadots too.
*These are some things you should now about Ms. Johnson. She's nice, she likes spring green, she likes her moms oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, she is a really good teacher, she is funny, and she has a puppy named Bella. Thats what you should now about Ms. Johnson.
*Dear next years class do you now something crazy abowt Mis. Johnson her dog is name Ball tahts the same name as my uncl's dog. She loves poladots she is alurgic to diry so make sure she dosit drink it. Shes allsow a sweet-hart if you behave. Sometimes she'll call you funne names when she is doing the friday folders and tats my pal mis. Johnson.
*My sekent grad techer Mis. Johnson has a dog named bella. Mis. Johnson loves cookies and wader. Mis. Johnson loves her class. She likes pokadots. She us to live in minusoda. She dus not like bugs.
*Dear Class,
Ms. Johnson lafs like a hiena and she eats cookies like the cookie monster. She yous to pot a ginny pig on a leesh and take it for a walk. She got Bella her puppy from a barn. Remember to be wonderful.
I just LOVE my little polka-dots!! It's amazing how well they know me! :) How sweet are they??
Today I read the book, Oh the Places You'll Go. I got the book from my grandma for graduation and just love the message in the story. It also had a dual purpose since I wanted it to inspire the students for their future, and it helped explain more my purpose in leaving my job. We all need to take the chances and go down the paths we feel lead to discover! I cried at the end, and I think I had the majority of the class in tears as well. I can't describe the bond that we all feel. We are more than a class. We are a family.
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