180 Days



http://www.redhotbully.com/PICTURES/free%20balloons.jpg

180 days ago, 30 small children waited nervously on the ramp in front of room 23 at my little school in the desert.  180 days of school was going to happen in their lives and mine. And it did. 180 “good mornings”, 180 days of math, grammar, reading, history, and science lessons. Worksheets, tests, books, workbooks and learning filled our days.  Computer Lab, library and PE days came and went. Windy days, rainy days, sunny days came and went. Tears, laughter, frustration, and “a-ha” moments came and went.  Learning happened…and it was sweet.

 In that 180 days, the little class of 30 kids and I became a class-family. We began to know “about” each other. We felt each other’s successes and failures. We learned who struggled and who is the “smart kid”, who cried easily and who was the best dancer, who never had a pencil and who always wanted to go to the bathroom as a lesson started. Each year it is a weird, unique, wonderful world that goes on after the door closes each morning.

In my 180 days, I learned so much too. I learned how to help a child manage his diabetes and glucose testing. I had to learn to be brave when I discovered a child had been abused and I had to call CPS. I had to learn to leave it in God’s hand when another child was taken suddenly and put in foster care. I had to learn how to help the little one with “anger issues” start to change and see she is a good person. Every year I know I will learn so much that has nothing to do with academics and everything to do with life.

So, last Thursday, after 180 days, I said "good-bye" to my class-family. Good-bye to all my happy, sweet, funny children and I sent them onto to 4th grade...and I cried. And then, after summer, it will start all over again. Lucky me!

“Good-bye!” they called. Good-bye, good-bye!”

At last one little spider took time enough to stop and talk to Wilbur before making its balloon.

“We’re leaving here on a warm updraft. This is our moment for setting forth. We are aeronauts and we are going out in the world to make webs for ourselves.”

“But, where?” asked Wilbur.

“Wherever the wind takes us. High, low. Near, far. East, west. North, south. We take to the breeze, we go where we please.”

-Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White