I thought I'd go through pictures, to find a few for the post I was writing yesterday, but that brought back so much, and looking through thousands of pictures over several hours helped me see some themes that have run through many of the 21 years I've spent working with children. I got teary... several times... and found myself thinking about the song Seasons of Love, from Rent. The song asks: how do you measure a year in a life?
I wonder, how many birthdays have my kiddos celebrated with me? How many cupcakes have I helped children to bake?
How many meals have I served? Breakfast, lunch and snack for 15 1/2 years... this number blows my mind...
How many goats have we milked?
How many pumpkins have the children scooped the guts from, and carved at school?
How many Easter egg hunts have I hosted... and how many eggs have the children and I stuffed for them?
What about masterpieces - or "mess"terpieces?
How many children have I taught? That number is easy to estimate. I've had 132 daycare kiddos, and about 120 first graders, so around 250 children have called me teacher.
Even as some of these numbers are pretty impressive, they don't tell the most important parts of the story of my school: things learned, friends made, and smiles shared.
Those are numbers no-one can know, but my heart tells me that they are enough.
If you are a family member of one of "my" kids, I want to thank you for sharing your child with me! I'd also love for you to leave a comment about what your child(ren) remember about their time with me.
Mrs. Paula! I can't believe you're leaving! There are not enough words to describe what N's time with you meant to us. The decision to leave you was one of the hardest decisions we've ever had to make! N grew so much from his time with you. He became a different child in so many ways. His behavior from when he got to you, from his last day was so insanely different, I can't even explain it. You taught him, and us, so much, and we are forever grateful. I think the thing he remembers the most about you is the fact that you called him "George". I still ask him if his name is George, and he says yes, Mrs. Paula calls me that. :) Even though he quit coming to you a while ago, it was still comforting know you were still in town for some reason. We are going to miss you, and the Arlington area will never be the same. I've talked to several parents whose kiddos didn't even go to you, but knew of parents with kiddos that have gone to you that have said, she's leaving?! She's like a legend in the home preschool circles! And I agree. Nobody does what you do, and I don't think anybody will ever live up to our standards now that we've known you. Thank you for loving our kiddo and taking care of him, and us. We love you!
ReplyDeleteOh! Thank you. You've brought tears to my eyes, but good ones. Please give George a big hug and a kiss from me!
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