The end of a good year

This is the last week of school for me. Actually the last four days. Well, not even that many. On Wednesday, the fifth graders are spending the day at the park. Thursday there will be a brief "graduation" ceremony and then any child may leave with their parent. The teachers are staying through dinner, which is being catered by El Chico. So the week isn't a "teaching" week per se. Now I know this may sound crazy, but I actually want to see my students this week. I guess I've been asking myself the last week or so if I've taught them enough. Have I taught them everything I wanted to teach them? Well, of course, the answer is no. There's always more I could have given them. I've had these students since August, five days a week. That's alot of time. But there's also alot of knowledge to impart to them. I'm not just talking about book knowledge, but about life in general. To be able to mold the lives of young children carries tremendous responsibility. What I love about kids at this age is that they soak up any attention you give them. I've had two identical twin brothers in my classroom this year that made me look forward to coming to school every day. They just wanted to learn. If they didn't know something, they asked. They weren't afraid to look like they didn't understand something. They had the best work ethic. I will miss them. So this week for me will be bittersweet. My fifth graders get to "graduate" onto middle school. I'll lose a group of 9 students who have challenged me throughout the year, both academically and behaviorally. But they brought an energy to my classroom that was fun and alive. It's a great job and I love it! Now I get to rest and get the juices flowing for the next group in August.