“A wonderful gift may not be wrapped as you expect.”
This is the first week back from Spring Break. It was a short break, only three days because of snow day make-up. Then, we had CAP Conferences (these are conferences with our students and their parents to prepare their schedule for next year) two nights this week until 7:30. Then, we had more CAP conferences on Saturday (to make up ANOTHER snow day) from 7:30-3:15. This is the equivalent of working a seven day week. First of all, I really do love CAP Conferences. I learn a lot about my students and their future plans and I get to meet their parents, which is almost always great! However, I am tired. Like go to bed at 9:30 tired. Maybe that's why it hit me so hard that my seniors only have 20 days of school left this year. I am extra emotional this year. It probably doesn't help that my favorite senior of all time is among this group (my son). Just typing this sentence made my eyes fill up with tears--seriously! It also doesn't help that some of these people (due to the aforementioned fact) are people who I have shared his growing experience with. Holy guacamole what am I gonna do to make it through this last month?!? Probably cry a lot, laugh a lot and take lots of pictures. The best part about these kiddos, including and especially my own, is that they are remarkable human beings. They are ready and they are wonderful. I feel selfish wanting to keep them because I know the world is going to be a better place with these people in it. I have loved every second of teaching and learning and growing with them. That really does help ease the pain--and increase my heart break all at the same time!
Because of this fact, I started working on some of my end of the year traditions. The first tradition is that when these people were juniors, their very last assignment in my class is to write a letter to their senior self. I know lots of people do this, but I have one unique aspect. If the students seal the envelope, they still receive credit, but I will never open it or look at. I simply deliver the letter back to them. As an alternative, my students can choose to leave the envelope unsealed. If they do, I will read their letters and I will write them back, either a favorite memory, a wish, etc. I started writing my letters this week. Last year I taught 113 juniors. I am in possession of 107 letters-- 73 of them are unsealed! I started writing 73 letters this week. I will have them done tonight so that they will be receiving their letters next week. Yep, it takes me a long time. Yep, I read every word they write. I spend a few moments remembering the student, sometimes just looking at the name on the outside envelope for a second and smiling. Then I spend the time to write each one of them something just for them. I love doing this, but by about letter 53, I have to take a break.
This year is the first year I have been blessed with getting to teach a large group of seniors. I have three classes, or 73 seniors I have gotten to know this year. I am making each one a graduation gift. I cannot afford to spend a lot of money on these gifts, but I will put a lot of time into them. Each gift will represent something personal that I have come to cherish about the student. I have made my seniors gifts every year I have taught (always a little different, but always something personalized). I will never forget the first time I did this. I am not particularly crafty and I was worried they would think they would look at the gifts as stupid or worthless because in all honesty I can only spend about $2 per student on these gifts. I was overwhelmed by the student responses. They were so grateful. I was overwhelmed and humbled by their reactions. I will never ever forget it. I realized that although I had made the gifts for them, I had gotten something really amazing in return and the payoff so exceeded any amount of time I had put into it. Actually, the time it takes is time very well spent. I love making these gifts--thinking about these students and reflecting on our journey this year. It is, although time consuming, incredibly rewarding and it is time I cherish.
I guess what I cherish is sweat equity. The value of a thing that increases because of the effort put into producing it. I love turning my dollar store finds into something valuable because they mean something to both the giver and the receiver. I hope you will take a second this week to cherish and value the effort and not the product. It will pay off--I promise!
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| My favorite Senior! |
Because of this fact, I started working on some of my end of the year traditions. The first tradition is that when these people were juniors, their very last assignment in my class is to write a letter to their senior self. I know lots of people do this, but I have one unique aspect. If the students seal the envelope, they still receive credit, but I will never open it or look at. I simply deliver the letter back to them. As an alternative, my students can choose to leave the envelope unsealed. If they do, I will read their letters and I will write them back, either a favorite memory, a wish, etc. I started writing my letters this week. Last year I taught 113 juniors. I am in possession of 107 letters-- 73 of them are unsealed! I started writing 73 letters this week. I will have them done tonight so that they will be receiving their letters next week. Yep, it takes me a long time. Yep, I read every word they write. I spend a few moments remembering the student, sometimes just looking at the name on the outside envelope for a second and smiling. Then I spend the time to write each one of them something just for them. I love doing this, but by about letter 53, I have to take a break.
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| My little project! |
This year is the first year I have been blessed with getting to teach a large group of seniors. I have three classes, or 73 seniors I have gotten to know this year. I am making each one a graduation gift. I cannot afford to spend a lot of money on these gifts, but I will put a lot of time into them. Each gift will represent something personal that I have come to cherish about the student. I have made my seniors gifts every year I have taught (always a little different, but always something personalized). I will never forget the first time I did this. I am not particularly crafty and I was worried they would think they would look at the gifts as stupid or worthless because in all honesty I can only spend about $2 per student on these gifts. I was overwhelmed by the student responses. They were so grateful. I was overwhelmed and humbled by their reactions. I will never ever forget it. I realized that although I had made the gifts for them, I had gotten something really amazing in return and the payoff so exceeded any amount of time I had put into it. Actually, the time it takes is time very well spent. I love making these gifts--thinking about these students and reflecting on our journey this year. It is, although time consuming, incredibly rewarding and it is time I cherish.
I guess what I cherish is sweat equity. The value of a thing that increases because of the effort put into producing it. I love turning my dollar store finds into something valuable because they mean something to both the giver and the receiver. I hope you will take a second this week to cherish and value the effort and not the product. It will pay off--I promise!
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