The end of Round 2

So this week marks the end of my second year of teaching. I have to say I'm relieved. I moved up with my students (which had its pros and cons) and I am really looking forward to NEW students next year. Not that I'm really looking forward to next year already, I'm just hoping my summer is rejuvenating.

I know as teachers we will get attached to students but this year's graduating class holds a special place in my heart. I went to elementary school with many of the students graduating this year and have definitely come accustomed to seeing their smiling faces in the hallways (not to mention the fact that they peek through my window, pop their heads in, plop down on my couch or park themselves at my desk). Next year will be hard without all of them just generally dropping by my classroom. Tomorrow is their last day on campus and I'm hoping they take advantage of my open door to come say hi one last time.

Looking back on this year I want to remember some of the highlights...

-Celebrating National Punctuation Day! Not only was it a department wide celebration, we decorated the halls, created a punctuation scavenger hunt, and had a pot luck lunch. The English Department is awesome and I look forward to next year's celebration being bigger and better!

-Reading Lord of the Flies! This is not noteworthy because it went amazingly well in my classroom but the kids put up with my love of the book and I believe they cooperated just for me. They ended up not enjoying it at all (despite all my efforts to make it awesome for them!)

-Reading A Midsummer Night's Dream! I was warned not to try to teach Shakespeare after the TAKS test but I was convinced I could do it. We just wrapped it up this past week and my students loved it. Granted, they thought it was all about forbidden love and sex (and they are kind of right) so of course it appealed to them.

-R.T.'s Pizza Hut All-Star Football Game! Definitely a good time when you're watching the future of college football playing a game. Even better when the west team breaks out their huddle by yelling "WEST SIDE"

-Breakfasts after mass at Sammy's! My Castroville family (The Hoog's and The Mangold's) really took me in this year and I have truly enjoyed going to 8:00 mass and eating breakfast at Sammy's afterwards. It is always funny when Mr. Hoog gets mad at us for having our phones out at the table (yes, we told him we were playing Words with Friends with each other--which is true). They have become my Castroville family and I will miss Amanda and R.T. when they head to college in the fall.

-Spring Tennis District Tournament! I was proud of all of my players. They did better than they expected to against very tough teams and I really enjoyed spending two days with them watching some stellar tennis.