Endings can be difficult for both children and adults. As the last days of school approach, the children in my first grade classroom and I will be feeling a range of emotions, including sadness at saying goodbye to friends, anticipation of new adventures, and anxiety about the coming transitions.
Like many educators these days, the teachers in my building have new initiatives added to our plates each year. We need (and want!) to collaborate as a faculty about them, but it's difficult for us to find time to meet as a group. At my school we've found a solution that works well for us, and I wanted to share it with you.
At the end of another school year, it's tempting to count the days left, wave goodbye to my class, pack up my room, and mentally check out for the summer. I've earned it, haven't I? But as the year winds down, I'm reminded that many of the end-of-year activities I do with my students incorporate some sort of reflection on the year:
