It’s the end of another academic year and high school teachers are presenting awards, grading finals, attending graduations, and packing up their classrooms.  A few teachers will receive a handful of thank you notes from students.  At least, that’s what I think happens.  I don’t get many hand-written notes from either students or parents, so the ones that take the time to compose a few sentences really tug at my heart strings.

What is even more amazing is when the student who hands you a note is one you taught for only 9th grade.  Now the kid is graduating and s/he make a special effort to write a note?  It makes you wonder how many other students might feel the same way and never write you a note.

But, then again, living and teaching in a small community, I hear back from my former students quite frequently whether I run into them in town or at ball games or whether I teach their brothers/sisters/cousins.  This morning I went to an Accelerated Reader Red Carpet Celebration for my own 2nd grader and realized that this whole year he has been in the same classroom with not one, but two of my former students’ children.  It won’t be long before I start hearing, “You taught my momma.  She said you were the best teacher she ever had.”

LOL!

Happy Summer, teachers!  If you are anything like me, you are looking forward to having the time to catch up on your 2014 ironing and put the 2015 Christmas decorations away!