Our school year came to an end today. As always, there's joy in the thoughts of beginning summer - lazy days at the park, splashing at the beach, reading on the porch each morning while my daughter blows bubbles, just spending time with my family. It's also a time to reflect on the year and how much my students have grown. They have each become such a part of my daily life and it's a little sad letting them go - but they're ready. As a final activity, the children worked on Memory Books, repsonding to questions about their favorite second grade fieldtrips and projects, listing the names of their friends, and getting everyone's autograph. One page asked each student to give advice to the student who will sit in his/her chair next year. Some children merely copied our class sayings:
Do the best you can and keep going!
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
If you know better, do better.
Other children had advice unique to their own experiences this year. At least I know that they were listening!
Never be very, very loud.
Always be pretty quiet.
Use your words.
If you can't concentrate, move!
Always listen to the teachers.
Don't kick or punch.
No yelling in the classroom.
Be nice and never mean.
And finally, one that made the entire year meaningful:
Be glad you have these teachers. They're the best!
