Those Hectic Last Few Weeks
Posted by Sherry McGregor on 22 May 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Management, Inspiration and Motivation, Teachers and Teaching
I’m looking at the calendar and thinking about how hectic the last few weeks of May were when I was teaching. I remember testing, grading, fitting in lessons I was determined to teach, planning parties, and wondering if I would ever have time to clean my house again! But to be honest, my strongest memories are of pride and affection for my students and in the journey we had taken together. The end of the year was a powerful time for taking stock—thinking back to those shy youngsters who had walked into the classroom in the fall, and watching the gangly, confident kids who were prancing around the room now. (Yes, I remember that discipline can be a challenge during May too!) But I wondered. Would the girls and boys who’d blossomed that year keep right on growing and achieving? Would the children who were right on the edge of blossoming hit their strides that summer or the next year? I wondered. Are you feeling mixed emotions like these? I’d love to hear your stories—your stories of success and your stories of hope.
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Please tell me where I can find the pages for planning I have always used. In particular, I am looking for the pages I could fill out on line, and print to make my life easier. I always used the class lists, and used it all year long. I would always be able to have a current class list, for any and all occasions. I also used the Classroom News many times during the school year.
Please help me find this.
Thanks,
Janice Ross
One of the many wrap-up projects we do at the end of the year is bind into a book all of the “Weekend News” sheets my students write every Monday morning during the school year. This takes a little extra time, but I hope it is a keepsake they will enjoy years later. I was invited to a graduation party for a boy who was in my second grade class. Surrounded by his friends, he got out his old “Weekend News” book and proceeded to read it aloud practically from cover to cover! He and his friends (and I) had lots of laughs and recalled things we would otherwise have forgotten. This was such an affirmation to me of how important these pieces of writing are—they are a slice of life. Definitely worth the extra effort!
I agree that it is a hectic time of the year. It is time to tie up all loose ends making sure all grades are averaged, report cards are complete, all student files are updated, etc. But, at the same time, I like to reflect on the year thinking about the lessons and activities that were or were not successful. I teach first grade and one way that helps in my reflection is to have my students write a letter to the kindergarteners telling them about 1st grade. They include their favorite activities and what was special about 1st grade. I get a lot of insight from their writings. It makes them feel very “big” to be writing to kindergarten too!
We still have 2 1/2 weeks left! With field trips and assembly practice and everything else the end of the year is HECTIC! I also have to pack up my entire room! As a first year teacher, I had no idea what the end of the year would be like. The kids have had it and now all they want to do is play!! I’m starting to think that it might not be such a bad idea!!
I’ve had my students write a monthly essay about what we have learned and done in class each month, and also what was going on in the world during each month. They color around the essay and share personal things as well. Now that it is nearly the end of the year (we end in late June) the students are getting excited to share their “monthly memory journals” with each other. I also took a picture of each student in the fall and pasted it in their book, and I will take another picture in June to see how they have grown! I’ve done this for 10 years now, and each year all my students have loved doing this assignment and sharing it at the end the year. It takes up a good two weeks to get through everyone’s journal and talk about our year as we go!
With the end of school, for us a month away, there is a lot of wrap up things to do. Our days are getting longer (we are in Northern Manitoba with sunrise at 5:00 and sun set about 10:00. General passing/placing/retaining lists have been made.
Year end things are rapidly upon us. Activities from the year, extended for them to work in groups and help each other is great. My class needs the practice in many areas to prepare for the summer and next year.
We still have 2 weeks of school, but have finished our language arts curriculum. Today, when I told them we had done everything we absolutely HAD to do, I asked what they wanted to learn about the next few weeks. The general consensus was “PLAY!” Instead we’re making an Alphabet book about candy. They’re satisfied with that, thank goodness! (confession…I was tempted to say OKAY! to just playing for the next 2 weeks!)
This is always a hard time of year. I get very attached to the children and families and now they are on their way. One nice thing is that so many of the kids that have been with me come back. They send cards, email pictures and updates, call, stop by or visit from far away. I love that I see them again.