Three Weeks

Tonight I cried in the car on the way to the mall. If you know me personally, you might think it was because of my hatred for clothes shopping. Nope. Not this time. For whatever reason, it hit me that there are only three weeks of school left. How did May arrive without me realizing it? In our community, I often run into parents and/or teachers, and nearly each one has asked me if I'm counting down the days until summer break. I can honestly say that I'm not. That hasn't always been the case, but I really do not have a countdown happening this year. This is my 13th year of teaching fourth graders. Every year, I feel that I'm a different teacher. I grow and change with each passing year as a result of my experiences. This year is no exception. In fact, I think I've done more growing and reflecting this year than any other year. I've tackled new challenges and have come to appreciate that I don't have all the answers and truly look forward to learning new practices. But let's get back to those tears shed earlier this evening. I'm not ready to let my students go yet. Some of them, I've just now (FINALLY!) been able to reach them and learn what makes them tick...and more importantly...what makes them smile! Three weeks isn't enough time to enjoy that! Teaching and all that it involves isn't always roses and butterflies, but getting pricked by a thorn on occasion is totally worth getting to see my kiddos bloom! I'm not ready to say goodbye yet, so I'm going to soak in these last few weeks and take every opportunity to make a few more memories with my kiddos. They deserve that!