Growing Up

As many of you know, this year's class has been a big challenge behaviorally. Our time of distance learning has been the most relaxing part of my school year! So when other teachers have said how much they miss their students, I couldn't empathize. Except today. Today was the first day I really missed my kids.

It's a Friday, so I meet with each student individually to hear their memory work. They have to have their cameras on so I can tell if they're actually reciting it. Some of them don't like to have their cameras on during live class during the week, plus Teams only lets me see four of them at a time anyway, so for some students, it's been a while since I've seen their faces.

They look different! Their faces are maturing, their haircuts are changed, they're tanner... I'd venture a guess they are taller too. Normally when I'm with my students, those slow changes fly under the radar because I'm with them every day. They really are like my own children. It makes me sad to see their appearances 'jump'.

On a happier note, I've also noticed I've been more relaxed in class and letting my goofier side peek through. This normally happens towards the end of the school year. Other teachers have mentioned that they are missing being together in school for the 'sweet spot' of the school year. March-May is the time of year when students knows the procedures, they know their classmates and how to get along; the end of the year is in sight, but it's not close enough to get ants in pants. It's the time of year when everyone is ready to learn and you can buckle down and get stuff done! It's the best time of year to do projects and mix things up. But all that is a lot harder to do remotely.

At the end of the year, I do a balloon count down to the last day with a special activity for each day. One of the 6th grade girls asked me if I would find a way to still do that with our class remotely. If I pick and choose carefully, I can come up with "special" things for them to do at home each day (optional of course, I can imagine some of my students not caring a whit about this). They won't have the same 'wow' factor that they would at school, but it will be something. Sit anywhere for the day is a lot different at home than it is at school!

Another thing I'm working on requires a bit more planning. When I was in 5-6th grade, at the end of the year my teacher Mrs. W would draw a picture on the board every day for the last 20 days of school. Hidden in each picture was the number of how many days we had left. I remember being excited to see what the picture would be and if I could find the number. That's something I could do remotely with my kids! So I emailed her to see if she remembers doing that with us. If not, I'll have to go with plan B. One of my sisters is an artist and she agreed to help me make pictures (*ahem* she'll probably do all of it) to countdown with my kids. Time will tell!