For nine months, I spent five hours a day five days a week with these rugrats.
As a teacher, you always get to know your students – their strengths, their weaknesses, their quirks. But when you only have six students in a 10’ by 12’ room, you REALLY get to know them. We’ve had our share of struggles. I admit that there were a few months when I didn’t think we were going to make it. But now that our time together has come to an end, I miss them…deeply.
As school ended today, I asked them all to gather around the table – our table – and sit quietly for a minute. And for once, they did. Silence fell over the classroom – a silence that in nine months, we have never achieved. We all sensed the heaviness of the moment and we all leaned close to each other.
This is how I said goodbye:
“Today is the last day of school. It is the last time we will sit together around this table as a class. Once you leave this room, I’m not your teacher anymore. I will definitely see most of you over the summer, and many of you will remain together next school year, but things will be different. So now, as you leave, I hope you know that I love you. I love you very much and I miss you already.”
