When you know your year is almost over, something special happens in the classroom. It really starts after Spring Break in elementary school classrooms as we begin to countdown to the days left in the school year. This is a special time in the classroom for many reasons.
What We Count Down
Counting down the days left in the school year does not have to be a moment of cruelty, reminding our students that we can’t wait to pass them on to the next teacher. Nope. It is the opposite. Let’s talk about When You Know Your Year is Almost Over.
Their Growth is Amazing
First, we are counting down with them. This is full of celebrations of achievements and growth. When you look back on your students, take a moment to pull up something they did in August just to remind yourself of where they came from. Celebrating their amazing year of growth with them is awesome. I get to do this exact activity when we are working on scrapbooks. We may forget exactly where some of them actually came to us at the start of the year. And now they are so much bigger and smarter and more awesome.
We Love the Fun Days Too
Next, teachers are counting down the days they have left with their students. There is joy in all the celebrations and fun activities we all look forward to that include their students. We love these exhausting and fun days so much and we love sharing these days with our students. When the days are tough and long, we fondly think of these days and the joy on ALL our students’ faces.
The Students No Longer Need Us
When You Know Your Year is Almost Over, it is important to keep in mind several things. We have to prepare our students now for their future. Although I love my current class, I do not need to be their teacher next year. You see, in the fall, I will start over again with the alphabet. The students in my classroom no longer need me to learn their alphabet and that is a good thing. That is powerful. I have worked myself out of a job for them. They are moving on and they should be excited about what is in store for them next.
The Simple Truth About When You Know Your Year is Almost Over
And finally, we are tired. We are not a little tired, but we are really, really, REALLY tired! We are close to the home stretch but the workload doubles and the time to do it all is cut in half. We are looking for a break and some sleep. It isn’t that we don’t love our job. It is just the exhaustion and well, we miss the other “us” that we are when we are not giving ourselves to our students. This isn’t a negative thing… but this is what we need so we can start all over again with a new roster and group of students.
We Want to Enjoy Our Students
And finally, when we know the year is almost over we are able to enjoy our students for who they are. We know them and they know us. We love them and they love us. The pressure to perform tests, assessments, and data collection is closing. So let’s take the time to enjoy each and every amazing student sitting in our classrooms now.
Veteran teachers know that When You Know Your Year is Almost Over, it is okay. You will have time to rest and recuperate. And you will have a new crew of little loves next year.
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