Last Day of School Reflections

It's oh so official.  And I'll shout it from the mountain tops (or sandy beaches!) that SUMMER VACATION is here!  No more getting up at 5:40 AM every morning.  No more rushing S and J to get their books together  (yes, we do try to do this the night before!) and to find their missing tennis shoe.  No more carline duty.  No more standing at the copy machine running off tests.  No more grading.  No more... well, you get the idea. 

But the last day of school was a bit sad none-the-less.  (But not only because of S last day in elementary school.  See my last post!)   I am really going to miss this group of kids I had this year.  As a class, they were by far the most excited students I have ever had in regards to wanting learn.  They were on fire!  You would not have believed the debates these kids had as we studied American History.  And they were impromptu!

• Were the Puritans hypocritical or not?
• Loyalist or Patriot?
• Federalist or Democratic-Republican? (our country's first political parties)
• Industrial Revolution in regards to immigrants:  opportunity or a form of "slavery"?
• Did the south have a constitutional right to secede?
• How could Abraham Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation if he wasn't the south's president?

I just sat back and let them use their knowledge.  They thought historically and put themselves in the time period - not as with today's ideas and opinions.  On one occasion, one girl was almost in tears when arguing her point.   On another, a group of students at their table looked through the Constitution in the back of their history book to argue their point.  During our last "debate", an African-American boy said that even though he was against slavery (aren't we all?!?!?), he didn't think Lincoln had the right to issue the proclamation.  But with a cute smile, he also said he was glad Lincoln did.  WOW!  What insightful and kids... you can see why I will miss them.

Here they are holding our Field Day Banner.  They came up with the slogan themselves (it's on a cannon ball if you can't see it!) and drew themselves as historical figures.  And, by the way, these kids are not just history buffs; this is one athletic little class with numerous soccer,baseball and football players.  On Field Day, the other classes WERE HISTORY!

I will miss this great class... their enthusiasm for learning, care for each other, and love for me will carry this fourth grade teacher for a long time.