Day 457- 464 We Made History

 This was the last week of school.  My kids and I made history!  That was a running theme of our class this year and one that my kids really embraced.  I tried really hard to focus on the positives of remote learning (like you could wear your pajamas, your pets could be with you, you didn't have to wear shoes) and on this amazing accomplishment my kids could forever be proud of.  I kept telling them, "When you're old and gray you will tell people about this time" and they really bought into it.  

My kids loved processing movies in the chat.  One of my kids wrote this on the last day of school while we watched the animated Little Engine that Could movie and it made me cry.

This June was so different than my typical Junes.  I'm usually exhausted, exasperated, and hanging on by a thread.  I'm usually so excited to not have to set my alarm any more that I welcome that last bell on the last day of school.  This year, I had a pit in my stomach as the end of the year approached.  I'm not a June crier yet that's all I did this June.   A few days ago the remote teachers had an end of year meeting and I was relieved to find out it wasn't just me this was happening to.  We realized that remote teaching allowed us to connect with our class in a way that was deep and special.  The bonds I made with this class, through a computer screen, are unlike anything I've ever experienced.  

On Thursday we got to meet in person at a playground in the city I work in.  The kids thought I was really tall which is quite funny since I'm pretty short.  I guess when you only see your teacher from the neck up, you have no frame of reference.  It was amazing to get to meet them in person and also to meet their families.  We all went on this incredible journey together and a big reason I made it was because of the support from the families.  This year was an experiment in extreme positive reinforcement, and you know what, it worked.  The comments and support from my families, from day 1, kept me going and wanting to do the best I could for my group, even when I felt like giving up.

In the week leading up to logging on for the first time last September, I set a few goals for the year:

*Every student is doing their best just by being online every day- I will honor that achievement.

*I wanted every student to feel loved and connected each day.

I somehow achieved these two goals.  My kids learned a lot about reading, writing, and math but everything that happened in my class was grounded in those two goals and the results were amazing.  I had a student observer join my class for a few months and when she left she said to me, "I cannot believe how positive you were. Even when kids were not responding, when they weren't completing work, you just kept honoring them."  That is something I will take with me as I return to in person teaching in the fall. 

I pretty much cried off and on the entire last day of school, and so did my kids.  We made sure to laugh a lot, thanks to my kids "Lego Rick Rolling" us (which was an ongoing joke all year.) We said our goodbyes and then no one hung up.  We just kept waving and singing and shouting and smiling and crying.  Eventually, 15 minutes after the close of school the three of us that were left counted down to three, and hung up.  And then I cried more 🤣

When I think back to that first day of school in the fall, I realize I really had no idea what I was doing and yet, somehow, I found my way.  Each day got better than the last and I'm leaving this experience a better teacher, with a whole new set of skills, and I found my love of teaching again.  In a sense, the pandemic helped me remember what is at the core of my teacher heart and reaffirmed that I was right all along.  Time for connections and conversations is vital in a classroom.  

JO surprised me with some awesome end of the year gifts and a night out at Bow Market and Fab Brewing.  The city seems to be recalibrating.  The crowds were much better than a few weeks ago and I loved getting out and exploring.  I think I've been carrying a lot of emotions these last few weeks and it wasn't until I talked to my other remote teachers that it all made sense.  

This summer is going to be a crazy one.  We're going on two trips, I'm switching schools and grades, and we're hoping a new door opens up some new things for us.  (For right now, I hate these doors.)