Today was the last day of school. All my students have been talking about for the past month is how ready they are for summer. I heard everything from "We already took the STAAR test, why do we have to learn?" to "Go ahead, write me up. School's almost over anyways." They were ready for summer. Everything changed today when they realized they had to stay goodbye to the elementary school they have gone to since Pre-K and have to move on to middle school.
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We held a graduation ceremony for the fifth graders and gave out awards and watched a slideshow of all their baby pictures. It was adorable and a definite tear-jerker. All of the kids dressed in their absolute best. A lot of the girls looked ready for prom and the boys looked dashing. They walked the halls of the school while everyone stood in the hall and cheered for them. Celebrate played over the intercom as they waved and slapped hands with the younger students who looked to them with wide eyes and eager smiles. This is when the tears came. Our kids were sobbing. I walked into the room after the hallway parade to all my kids in their chairs crying.
Eventually, they dried their tears, devoured donuts, and rocked out to Kidz Bop for a solid 30 minutes before it was time to pack up their elementary career and head on to the next phase of their little lives.
While I was watching them walk the halls, I had a thought. I am in the business of children. I love them, I teach them, I nurture them, I yell at them, I direct them, and I pray for them. I don't get a lot back in the form of gift cards, bonuses, or free lunch - but today I got a ton of hugs from students and parents thanking me for my hard work. What a day!
Photos from http://lookslikegooddesign.com/crying-children-jill-greenberg/
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