End of the School Year

My last day with my class was Friday and I have never been so happy to see a class move on. I normally get a little misty eyed and start to think about teaching them summer school just so that I can work with them a little longer. This did not happen with this years class. I spent this year getting punched, kicked, almost bit, stared down, yelled at, called ridiculous names, sneezed on, used as a tissue, puked on, and bled on. About 90% of these things came from one particular student. Little Z is not going to be missed at all.

We had our end of the year extravaganza which was a huge success and a lot of fun...and stress. I love the chaos of this day for some weird reason. It is 3 hours of not stop adrenaline. I am getting my class ready for their program and their awards. Then at the picnic I am schmoozing the parents. It is NON STOP! I enjoy talking to most of the parents about their kiddo. Even though I am EXTREMELY happy that I am not thier parent. I like to see what their parents are like and what they think of their kiddo. They are usually very proud of their little one and think that they made a lot of progress from the beginning of the year. Which is true with all kinders. Even the lows that are not at grade level have made some progress.

Then there is little Z's mom. I hand out their promotion certificates one at a time. I call them up everyone claps and cheers. I turn them towards their parent and snap snap pictures are taken. I do it this way because I have learned from years past that kindergarten teachers are kind of like Disney Princesses (well in my head I like to think of myself as one for a day). Parents want that picture of the crazy teacher. Well most of them. So when it was time for little Z to come up I turned him toward his mom and she said "I don't want a picture!" I thought oops my bad. I figured maybe she didn't want me in it. Which is fine, her and I have had a "different" correspondence this year. However as the morning goes on I notice my kids have gone home with their parents after the picnic. All except little Z. He is alone. I ask him where his mom is. He says, "She left cause she said she was bored." In my head I'm screaming "WHAT THE EFF IS WRONG WITH THIS WOMAN!!!!" But I filter my words and tell him well maybe she had work to do and will be right back. He knew I was stretching the truth. I take him to the office and call his family only to find out that the BABYSITTER is picking him up. I now see why Z is the way he is. If mom would have returned one of my 9000 calls I made this year I probably would have figured it out sooner.

So as tragic as little z's promotion was honestly I am still SUPER relived to be DONE with this group of kinders. I'm sorta looking forward to a fresh start with a new batch. Sorta...I need this vacation to regroup and get my patience back. I also need my grown up Vegas vacation that is happening in 4 weeks. OH how I NEED this vacation.