I realized that I did not wrap things up on this blog. I had surprisingly most people show up for the last day of school. Since I highly believe in structure and order, we still followed a fairly normal day. While other classes were cleaning and playing games, mean Miss Newbold made her class work and I still taught the curriculum. No they did not have desks but we just used boards and pencils. They worked on science probability, they wrote their graduation speeches as we did a web/chart of reflection, we shared favorite times and stories and we practiced for graduation.
It was the last day of school and some of my blessed kids did not still understand how to listen and follow directions. I told them that just because it is the last day, they still will clip down if they make a mistake and I will not be afraid to say it in front of their parents. So lets just say, I was not a happy camper and yelled at my first ever student. I later apologized and felt horrible that I had lost it like that. I finally told them that they were not going to recess until they got this down perfectly. We practiced where to sit, how to stand with and without the homemade caps, the song we sang, etc... We eventually got it down and then like a crazy movie director, I wanted it "from the top" again. Haha we got it down and only 1/2 of the class was ticked off at me by recess:) I played with all of them one last time at recess.
Then we went to the longest award ceremony of my life. It was only supposed to take 15 min but instead it took an hour all the way to lunch. My students with ADHD were so bored that I had to keep sending them out to get drinks. I was overall very proud of my students, for the most part, they all sat quietly and were very respectful. We finally did it! True it was the last day of school but we finally did it! After lunch, I put on a few short movies until parents started to arrive, while I got the refreshments ready (cookies and juice). Then I told my students to get a drink, use the restroom and silently read until their parents came. At that point, they could greet their parents and give them a program.
When most of the parents were there, I had my students line up with their caps on and I played, "Pomp and Circumstance" while they came in and sat down (thank heavens perfectly). I then welcomed everyone. We had such a huge turnout! There even were fathers that took the day off to see their students. I unfortunately did have four students with no representation:( Then we had our Valedictorian and Salutatorian give their speeches. Oh they were so cute. Then my class sang a song that they had been practicing, very well. Then I gave my little speech on how the year had gone, some goals that were accomplished and how I loved being their teacher. Then I gave out individualized awards, diplomas, lunch certificates, plaques with their pictures and their final report cards. Then I told them thanks again, showed them where the refreshments were, said goodbye individually to each of them, got pics with them and let their parents take them home. Oh they also gave me oodles of presents and hugs. One of my hardest students gave me a dozen roses with a sweet, heart-wrenching, "Miss Newbold I will never forget you."
I then packed up my classroom, said goodbye and left. It has not hit me yet. I just hope they make good choices in life.
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