Two weeks ago Friday I closed the door on my 35 years career teaching and retired. My wonderful teammates surprised me at our end of year assembly by asking me to say a few words but I simply could not finish without choking up. The best I could tell them was that I believed in all of them and that I promised to be at their graduations from high school in 5 years and that I expected to see all of them in their caps and gowns. Then commenced a group hug w/130 7th graders that I thought I would not survive.
I have LOVED my job but increasing age has affected my physical ability to give the 110% my kids need and that I have taught them to expect. I have taught in a variety of settings, rural, urban, magnet, each with its challenges and rewards but it was always about my kids and nothing else. I chose to walk away before an administrator had to tell me it was time to. I will miss my kids and the rhythm of the classroom but I am confident that I made a difference in some of their lives and I could not ask for anything else.
She Who Must Be Obeyed and I will be at the World in September because we have never been able to travel outside of the school calendar. This is our first real vacation w/o students or our own children to supervise and we are really looking forward to it.