Our Last Moments Together

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.”