There are times when I really, really miss my students...my kids from student teaching, particularly on rough subbing days. Even though I was only with them for three and half months, they were my first classes and there is something special about that bond. Almost everyday, something triggers a memory and I start to miss them horribly, and I wonder how they are doing, if they are still passing the class, if they miss me, and so on. There is a special bond between students and teachers, one that is hard to describe. But, you feel such a responsibility for these kids that you cheer on their successes and feel the despair of their failures. I want so badly for them to succeed in life and to be happy.
As a teacher, there is nothing better than that day when you realize that your class likes you. That the majority of your students look forward to seeing you and coming to your class. As a student teacher, that moment is especially sweet, because you wonder if it is ever going to happen at the beginning. Well, when one class of mine found out that it was almost time for me to leave them, they were sad (it was really a bittersweet moment--I was thrilled to be nearly done, but it was killing me to leave them mid-year). We joked around about having a memorial for me on the last day I was there. I was purely kidding, but some of my students took me seriously.
On the last day I taught, I walked into my last class of the day from my lunch break to discover that my students had prepared a little farewell for me. One student had written five original poems in my honor and another had brought his cello with him to class so that he could accompany the readings of the poems. I had to keep myself laughing in order not to start crying.
So here are the five original poems. There's a video too, but I have the feeling that posting that could potentially land me in hot water, so if you really want to see it, ask me next time you see me. (I didn't record it, another student did and then gave it to me)
1. Ms. Lemley,
You came, you're leaving.
2. I walked into class
hands in pocket
to find myself learning
of Davy Crockett
You called me Satan*
I disagreed.
I was shocked to hear
Because you are not mean.
* I never called him Satan, or any other name for that matter. I think he was trying to find a rhyme. And several other students protested that word as well.
3. Vroom Vroom Vroom
Drive to Riverton
Vroom Vroom Vram
Drive back home.
This poem, I'm sure, was the result of my class being stunned at how early I got up in order to get to school by 7:00am (usually 5am).
4. Monday--Friday
You're A-okay
Saturday and Sunday
Get the heck away!
No idea what this one means...
5. Red Leather, yellow leather
Banana cream pie
Toy boat, boy toes
Rumpelstiltskin eye
Dumples cupcakes
Heavy pumpkins
Random stories
Unwanted glory
Children Dancing
People breathing
Thank you.
Looking at these still makes me get all sniffly.
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