7 weeks left

I can't believe it! Only 7 weeks left of my first full year as a teacher. I think I am one of the very few teachers in the world that feels sad that this year is coming to an end. I am not just sad, I am excited too. I see being a teacher is a lot like working at summer camp. It is a wild ride, it is a long ride but that ride comes to an end and you get off for a few months then you are ready to ride it again. I am starting to look forward to summer. I think.. come August, I will be ready to board the ride again, My students who are AWESOME are showing signs that they are ready for summer. I find myself having to get after them more now then ever before. They need to be reminded of my rules more frequently then before. This still does not make the end of the year easy for me...

I think back to August, my first day of class. It was 7:15am and the voices on the playground were getting louder and louder with excitement. The start of the year was coming to a head. I remember specifically coming in that morning at 5am to make sure everything was the way I wanted it to be. I rearranged the desks 10 times, I moved posters at different angles a few times, I paced back and fourth with a deep fear of "how will I do?" I worried about my stuttering and speech issues, would this hurt these kids? Would I fail my students because I can't talk like a normal teacher. Was I setting them up for failure? Was I setting myself up for failure? I couldn't think about that anymore so I sat at my teachers desk and just stared at it. "My teachers desk, I thought to myself"... Wow, I made it! I looked up at the clock and it said 7:30 and in ten minutes I needed to head downstairs to get my kids. I looked at all the desks and then I started to cry... It was not loads of tears, just tears of joy. I finally was a teacher and I thanked God.

I went downstairs to get my kids. I have 12 students- 6 boys and 6 girls. I had 6 students last year so they knew me and were very excited to have me again. I had 6 new students and a couple of them were not sure they would like me. I did my best to make everyone feel welcome. It paid off because my students are happy now,

This year, I have been very open with my students. We have had many deep discussions (well as deep as you should go with 2nd graders) I will say that 2nd graders have brains and feeling and when allowed to, and taught how, they can say some pretty interesting things. We have talked about 9/11, Martin Luther King and why he was killed, The Liberty bell and how it was cracked, I have shared with them many videos off youtube. We have been across the world and back via youtube. We discussed Presidents and they asked me who my favorite President was and I saw Ronald Reagan so they asked to see who he was so we went to youtube to show them. Youtube has been my friend this year, lots of age appropriate videos for kids.

We have shared many laughs this year, some tears, some frustrating moments with each other but I would never change this experience for the world. I love teaching at a Catholic School. I love that we can teach discipline and morals and values. I love that I can teach religion and talk about God. I REALLY LOVE that we can stop and pray anytime we want too. One day, one of my boys was having a hard time and he asked me if he could go pray at the cross in my room. I said "sure." He went over quietly, kneeled down and said a prayer, I looked over at him and he was crying softly. I went and kneeled by him and asked him what was wrong. He was said that he didn't have a Dad. He wants a Dad. I sat there, hugged him and we prayed to God together. I prayed outloud with this boy and asked God to heal his heart. Later that same day, that boy came to me happy and said "Mr.Meyer, I don't need a Dad, I have you and gave me a huge hug. HOW AWESOME IS THAT???

Another great part of this year has been my students parents and grandparents. I have developed a very good relationship with most of them. I am not to sure where you draw the line, can you be friends? I say "why not?" They are trusting me with their kids 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I don't want it to be a me vs them. I remember when I was a kid, my parents didn't have close relationships with my teachers. I think if they had then both sides would have felt better coming to the table to discuss me. I e-mail my parents every Monday what I am going to do that week in all the subjects, I tell them about upcoming dates. My parents know what is going on in my classroom. They are welcome to come visit anytime without calling me. I believe that has helped me to have the support from my parents.

This year was my first year as a teacher, I hope and I pray that I never forget these kids who have entered my life. It is my desire to follow their growth and be at their high school graduation. Heck... maybe (God willing) be at their wedding. So.... yes,I am sad that it is coming to and end. I feel the ride starting to slow down. Pretty soon my kids will get off, thank me and go onto their next ride. I hope they continue to wave to me from their ride. As I look over my shoulder, I see that ride slowing down too and those kids are looking over at me with excitement to join me on their new ride. It will be another good year ahead of me.

God Bless