Yesterday was a crazy day in the teaching world. I should start by saying I had missed the day prior to take care of some "personal business." Therefore I knew walking into my classroom would bring some chaos left for me from the day before. Before I had even been there for 15 minutes I was quickly reminded that one of my favorite students (and her parents) were leaving that day to move to Ohio. As soon as I saw her tears were brought to my eyes. I decided to run out during my planning and buy some treats and a small gift for her as she headed out.
When I returned from the grocery store I got news that another one of my students had been in the hospital since Monday with swelling that they thought might have been originating in her brain. I was now sad over a situation with a student for the second time in the day. About 30 minutes later I found a student ASLEEP under my desk, who had apparently come in during my planning and crawled under there. I had NO. IDEA. He sleeps all the time, so that wasn't weird, but I didn't even know he was at school. This incident heightened my emotions for the third time and it was only about 10 oclock!
We literally accomplished nothing all morning. The kids made cards for the little girl who was moving, and for the one in the hospital. We then spent a significant amount of time singing all the songs we have learned this year, and playing the movers favorite games so she could remember everything when she moved. When her parents came to pick her up during recess, I could feel myself getting sad. I'm truly attached to these kids. Her Mom exchanged some sweet words with me, as we discussed how this was her child's first year in traditional school and my first year as a teacher and as we both helped each other's first experiences to be wonderful. Of course I was crying at this point, and when P actually walked out the door I had about 7 crying 7 year olds. It took the class about an hour to fully recover from this traumatic experience. I remember when Tara moved when I was 7, it is traumatic!
The last traumatic event of the day was when G stepped on a thumb tack (with his shoes off) and it went straight into his heel. PANIC on my part. Thank God he pulled it out and his tetanus shot was up to date.
I left school feeling emotionally drained, yet I still needed to visit E in the hospital, and I had my weekly appointment.
WHEW. What an EXHAUSTING day. But you know, what this day did show me SO clearly is how much I care for these kids. You better believe that come June 9th, no matter how thrilled I will be to have my first year over, I'm going to be a wreck as I say goodbye to the 22 7 year olds who have dealt with me and loved me through this journey.
