Time Flies

Can't I have a few more weeks? A month? They've come so far! They're just where I want them to be!   Can't I have just a little more time to reap the rewards of my work?  OUR work together. Please?!

 June arrived too quickly and with it  has come the realization that this wonderful, quirky bunch of ten year-olds will shortly be leaving on summer holidays.  I don't feel ready to let them leave...

Susie is just beginning to speak up in class with confidence and without prompting!

James has shown such growth in his reading comprehension strategies recently! He even picked out a book by himself  that caught his eye in the basket of books-
at his level instead of trying to keep up with his buddies!  He's come so far in understanding his learning disability.

Pete is still struggling with decimals.  If we could set up the 'Shop' again, he may make stronger real-world connections to what that dot is telling him.

And what about Karen...her writing is coming together now; our conferences about mapping out her ideas has helped her focus on the big ideas she wants to share.

And Paul smiles at me every day now... : )  I really don't want to see him leave just when we have reached this balance in our relationship!

Then there's our wiki--we didn't really get done what we hoped to...yet.

The kids have been busy working together on some culminating projects to clue up our Science unit on weather.
 One group is creating a Jeopardy-style game while another is working on a Snakes-and-Ladders type where tornadoes move the players up and down the gameboard.
Some are working with our 6 new NetBooks (which we've only had a week!) One group is making a presentation using PhotoStory and they're adding in their own voices to share what they've learned.  And yet another bunch are working on their adaption of This Hour Has 22 Minutes - part news report - part situational comedy!  There's also a crew writing the posts about extreme weather and how they have affected Newfoundland...like Hurricane Igor that hit our town in the fall.

And there's that great Art museum idea we were thinking of and what about the play we wanted to put off and have I done enough with ...

I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round trying to wrap up our year together while feeling like there's so much left to do, so much we might have done, so much to say to my students and their families.







A fellow teacher gave this to me many years ago and I don't know who to credit with but in its own sweet way it captures some of what I'm feeling:

I’ve worked with your flower
And helped it to grow.
I’m returning it now,
But I want you to know--
This flower is precious,
As dear as can be.
Love it, take care of it,
And you will see--
A bright new bloom
Formed everyday.
It grew and blossomed
In such a wonderful way.
In September, just a bud,
January a bloom.
What a lovely blossom
I’m returning in June.
Remember this flower
As dear as can be
Though rightfully yours--
Part will always belong to me.