Summer vacation has arrived. It was a long haul this year, and as I told my students often, I wouldn't have been in the classroom without them this time around. This year was the year I had both of my former fourth grade classes as seventh and eighth grade students. Quite honestly, if it hadn't been the year I was supposed to teach both former fourth grade groups, I would have almost certainly taken a leave of absence.
I was stabbed in the neck two weeks before the school year started and underwent five hours of emergency surgery to ensure my life was not in danger. Thankfully it wasn't, but 10 months later, I am still in daily pain that intensifies when I overuse my left side by doing things like lifting heavy groceries, singing or talking loudly, or sleeping on it. I had to lean on my co-workers like never before this year just to get through each day when I returned in late September, and was still pulling the, "I was stabbed" card the last week of the year when I opted out of a seventh-grade ropes course field trip and field day.
But I genuinely loved both of my fourth-grade classes and couldn't pass up the opportunity to teach them both again, at the same time! I was not my usual self. Not even close to the kangaroo on steroids I used to be... but by the end of the year I was at least standing on tables again.
One new tactic that I started using this year was inserting pictures of my pets into my slideshows. Beginning in April, each morning the first slide my students saw was a meme I created from a photo I have of one of my (many) pets.
Although I was apparently much more fun as a fourth-grade teacher than I am as a seventh and eighth grade teacher, I still feel a special bond with these kiddos. It was really special taking the eighth graders to Boston and Washington DC with my principal on the cusp of his retirement. These kids were quite possibly the best-behaved students I've ever taken on a trip. When individual students asked what time we were leaving after a longish picnic lunch, we told them 1:00. Maybe five students asked. At 12:49 every student was assembled and ready to board the bus.
Perhaps my favorite moment of the school year came on the last day of school before graduation. The eighth graders have a retreat where they reflect on their eighth-grade year, the legacy they are leaving behind, and what they are taking with them as they move onto high school. First thing in the morning, one of my students came up to me, fishing something large out of his pocket. He said, "Mrs. Conrow, is it okay if I have pickles?" as he slid the jar from his pocket.
I laughed and asked to take a picture. He later shared the jar with his advisory group, and the pickles were gone in under five minutes.
Of course, I can't help but look ahead to next year, when I hope to be more healed and closer to the kangaroo on steroids I once was. I was at a club world cup game this weekend, and the people in front of us came prepared, with laminated red and yellow cards. They were probably my favorite part of the game... especially since we didn't win.
I want to think of a way to implement this in my classroom next year. Perhaps a giant yellow card with the words, "Whoa, Warriors!" in large, friendly letters - Warriors being our school's mascot, and "Whoa, Warriors" being a phrase I say when I want the class to calm down. Somehow this also reminded me that I wanted to become a carrier of emergency confetti to celebrate wins in the classroom. Perhaps I'll remember to do both next year.
