School's out for summer!

So obviously it's been awhile since I've been on here. I don't know where I've been, but if I had to guess, I'd say probably at work. However, that's all changed because we officially finished up last Thursday! Now it's time to start making to-do lists to occupy the next 2.5 months. Shockingly, I don't have any vacations planned yet. That part must change asap.

The past month has been crazy & so much fun! The TAKS results nearly killed me, but for the most part, things turned out ok. All-in-all, another successful year has come to an end. It was hard to say good-bye to my sweet kids, having them for 2 years and all. They were a wonderful group of kids. On the last day of school I gave them "awards" that I had made for them, based on funny memories or special reasons as to why I would miss them. They decided that they also wanted to throw in positive things for each other. We spent an hour and a half sharing all of the positive things that we remembered about each person in our class. I was so surprised by the genuine compliments that they came up with for one another. Typically, kids like to describe them as "fun, nice, sweet" etc. But they were able to find unique qualities in each person, even for kids that I thought they would struggle with. It was truly a special moment for me to see them all opening up, and sharing about people that weren't necessarily their best friends. It reminds you that kids are so pure, free from long-time judgment and harsh criticism. Wouldn't it be nice if that never changed? It definitely reminded me to try to live that life...to find the positives, even when it seems difficult. I definitely closed out the year on a positive note-watching all the growth they had made socially and the acceptance and love that they have for each other. They were moments I will never forget. I could not have asked for a better class to have for 2 years (and even more, my first 'real' class in my teaching career!). They have left me with unforgettable memories, funny stories, and sweet hugs that I will miss over the summer.