Wrapping Things Up...

How do you wrap up a school year/blog/life… should it be a quick and concise endeavor, or maybe a longer more drawn out experience…

For me it’s been over a week since I wrapped up my obligation as a teacher and I’ve had significant troubles trying to articulately express what transpired, hence the week without a blog entry.

I seemed to have left off with a cliff hanger and seeing as I’m talked out of the specific drama I’ll see about a recap where possible.

The second interview didn’t go what I would call well. Needless to say the job was offered to a “more qualified” applicant. Ugh. It made for a bad day, but maybe a mixed blessing. Too many options can be, and proved to be, a headache as well as an additional stressor.

School wrapped up well. I informed the class of my departure on the last day of school, and spent the evening preparing, last minute planning, and putting on the graduation. Seeing as I was the only faculty serving the 8th grade students I was also the only faculty planning and implementing the 8th grade graduation. I was concerned about the speech that I had to give… ah yes how I adore public speaking. As the main hall filled with parents, family and friends I only grew more concerned. After putting in a 9 hour day without any breaks I ran home for a quick shower and meal before my required return to host the festivities. Inspiration struck as I was hurriedly washing off the day’s stress and I hopped out of the shower and half-dressed wrote down the speech that was flowing through my brain. My four graduates were to become comparable to the famous four travelers that found their journey leading them down a yellow brick road. Yes, unbeknown to me I had a scarecrow, lion, tin man, and a girl with an affinity for ruby slippers in my class the whole time… I had only a moment to wonder where the little black dog had gone before I rushed back to campus. I remembered in the rush that the slide show still needed to be set-up and I was without the time, know-how or time for the task. I wrangled a co-worker to work on the dilemma as I tried to round up the graduates.

My students arrived with formal attire to rival a hillbilly wedding. One student opted for a hoop skirted dress, another with a wedding inspired ensemble, and a third in a camouflaged vest under a tuxedo vest and paired with faded jeans. My fourth and final 8th grader opted for a more traditional suit. I arranged the nervous teens into an order and quickly organized a march down the pink paper-lined aisle. My Tin Man showed his heart when he, unprompted, stopped to help the hoop-skirted Dorothy up the rickety stage steps. Seems her ruby slippers were giving her some trouble. My speech went off with the appropriate amount of oohs, ahhs and a few appropriately timed laughs. I’ll spare you the rest of the 20 minute ceremony only to close with the disappointing fact that the slide show was ultimately unsuccessful, to no fault of the diligent staff member.

Following the graduation we welcomed a DJ and proceeded to dance the night away with a handful of students and questionable lyrics. I was the only chaperone to speak of and almost got volunteered for taxi duty for 5 people when the night came to an end and the appointed driver was no where to be found. All was saved in the end and I returned home after a 14 hour day.

The following morning I rose with the sun and began the process of packing up my last four months. I totaled grades, completed cumulative files, cleaned the room, sorted supplies, and packed up a handful of boxes with my books and other miscellaneous trinkets that teachers seem to accumulate. I must have been in a hurry because as 5:00 came around I realized I hadn’t taken a break, and even more significantly I was finished! I decided that a premature leave was better than an anti-climatic one so I returned home to say my brief goodbyes, eat a quick dinner compliments of the grandparents, pack and clean my room, and give a last apple to my favorite horse. I was out the door and down the road by 7:30. It was to be a long night but I was glad to drive from the valley and get on to the next adventure.

In the end I received a few tearful comments from a few students, (surprisingly enough they were from the students whom I least expected) and a few congratulatory comments from jealous co-workers. I realized that even though I had been counting the days these students, this life, as crazy and bizarre as it was, was still mine for awhile. These students were still my kids for a moment and as many headaches as they may have caused, they also became a part of me. Saying goodbye was more difficult than I realized.

So what does the future hold? Currently a job offer in another small but seemingly improved town, a summer of online college courses to qualify me for the aforementioned position, and hopefully a summer of soaking up a social life to get me through my next year. An actual full year of teaching my very own classroom, not just picking up the pieces mid-year. Oh my now what I am I going to do?