I had just started feeling like I was getting into the groove of teaching. I no longer got nervous before instructing my own lessons. I no longer asked a million questions when writing up a lesson plan. I started gaining independence when answering questions from the kids or instructing them during workshop times. And now its over.
I got extremely lucky with this placement. The teachers were amazing, the kids were amazing, and I learned so, so much. I knew that my time in this classroom was special and maybe even better than most student-teachers could hope for, but that didn't truly sink in until yesterday.
During my lunch break, both teachers had to step out for errands and I was alone in the classroom, working on a math paper on my laptop. A student's mom rushed in with a big bag and I told her that the teachers had stepped out but that they should be back soon. To my surprise, she replied, "Oh, but I'm here to see you!" She whipped out a fat, gorgeous bouquet from the bag and handed it over to me. "This is from the class parents," she said. "We can't thank you enough for all the work you've done with our kids. They really loved you." The sweet gesture caught me totally off guard and for a a few seconds, I was actually speechless as I stared at the flowers. Then she whipped out a small envelope from her purse and handed it to me. "This is a gift certificate to Barnes & Nobles from all the parents. Maybe you can use it to buy books for your future classroom."
I felt my cheeks turning pink and I thanked her profusely. I had met most of the parents through field trips and parent-teacher conferences but really did not feel as if they knew about my time in the classroom that well. This token of gratitude was very surprising and flattering.
I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling high in spirits from the realization that maybe I did make some sort of difference in the classroom. I had the flowers, the gift certificate, and a really fun prep period with my teachers discussing all sorts of fun and personal things. They had become good friends of mine.
Then, at the end of the day, they pulled one on me.
Telling the class we would be doing a read-aloud, the students gathered on the carpet and I took my seat in my usual space off to the side. Lo and behold, I was presented with a book that all the students had worked on over the weekend, filled with pages from each student, telling me what they had learned from me, what they had liked about working with me, that they would miss me, and more. I was so, so touched. Now I have something I can hang on to forever in order to remember my very first group of students.
Later, when sending the kids off with their parents, every kid gave me a big hug rather than their usual good-bye handshake. The best was the few kids who looked up at me and said, "I'll miss you Ms. Griffin!" or "Good-bye Ms. Griffin!" or "You'll come visit us, right?"
Even now, on this Friday morning, I miss those darn kids already. But this is the life of a teacher. A big group of kids come into your life. You teach them, you care for them, you make them laugh, you scold them, you remind them, you understand them. They also teach you and make you laugh. Then, in the blink of an eye, they exit your lives and you wait for your next batch of kids. Goodbyes are always hard but they are bittersweet as well.
Now, I must finish up my schoolwork for the semester, finish crafting some Christmas gifts, head home to California for six days, enjoy a 3.5 week winter break, and then get ready for an entirely different semester of student-teaching. Lucky me, right?
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