Some students and teachers are out for the summer already, and some can now count the days left on two hands. This time feels almost too busy to reflect, but in the hurry scurry of finishing up papers, clearing out desks, finding a summer home for the class pet, and gathering up the missing library books...there is a moment of pause. This is the end of something, maybe something difficult, maybe something beautiful, maybe both. In a few weeks time, these same bodies will never live together, breathe together, figure-it-out-together, laugh together again. It's like the end of a book, when you say "farewell" to the characters, close the cover, and sigh.
Thank you to all teachers this month. As a mother and still-in-my-heart-teacher, I know what you do and believe it to be the most valuable gift of all.
Joan suggested the other week that we share book lists and favorite ways to end the year. Do you have something that you like to do at the end of the school year, a way to say goodbye or to remember the year together? A favorite read aloud? To talk about community, Roxaboxen, by Alice McLerran, is my book to hug.
from Roxaboxen, by Alice McLerran
At Two Writing Teachers, principal and guest-blogger Mary Alice shares a simple and elegant design for summer journals. Check it out here.
Over at Write Time, Linda's students write poetry as a way to celebrate all they have learned throughout the year. Here are some of their poems and Linda's explanation of this powerful writing exercise.
Some teachers say goodbye by writing a poem for their students. Read Kyle's poem to his fifth graders over at Ukulelear and Mary Lee's poem to her fourth graders at A Year of Reading.
How do you end your year? Please share in the comments, and I will include your thoughts in a future post.
(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)
