The Last Day of School

School’s out for summer!

And it is a very good thing. I don’t know any teachers that weren’t hanging on by a thread at this point. It has been a tough year. Kids of all ages were way more effected by the pandemic shut downs than I ever expected, and navigating all the issues was more than a full time job for teachers.

I collected a few things kids said (mostly) to me in these final days:

Is the assignment optional? (No. It is not now, nor has any assignment ever been optional.)

I only do summative. (We have two kinds of work in this district. Formative is done while learning – it does not count toward your grade – such as math homework or any in-class work. Summative is testing after material is learned and is graded. This kid got a 14% on the quiz I gave him two days earlier.)

This is formative, right? So I don’t have to try? (This might be my least favorite thing a kid can say.)

How do I so this? (About 100 times over the course the day – after they were supposed to watch a video of their teacher showing them how to do it. Most choose to “watch” the video double time and with subtitles rather than listening to it.)

I don’t have the intention span to do it. (I said, “Attention span.” She said, “That either.”)

I didn’t have time to put the negative signs on. (I tried not to, but then I laughed out loud. Then so did he.)

Can I tell everyone your address? (I said sure. He did not know my address.)

I’m in dumb science. (I responded, “There’s dumb science?”) There must be. I’m in dumb everything.

(Student to another student) I am going to be the cool aunt. That means I’ll be a drug addict. (I didn’t even go near that one.)

(Student to another student) If you’re taking a quiz, just expect disappointment. (Oh, sad!)

I really, really like each and every one of these eighth graders. I wish I had heard more positive comments, but there isn’t a lot of time for chatting during math class, and this is what I got.

One day when I suggested we skip my daily quiz question to earn the right to take the attendance to the office, there was a mild mutiny. One boy raised his hand (and then just talked without being called on, which I gotta admit is a favorite thing of mine) and said, “Mrs. Thompson, your question is the high point of my day. Really. I mean, sometimes other stuff happens that’s good, but when I see you, I know we are all going to be together and we are all hoping and we are all going to laugh. Please don’t skip it.” I will never skip it again. About 5 minutes before the end of the hour, I interrupted their work time to say good-bye. I subbed for this teacher 15 days this year, and for her co-teacher 6 days, so I spent quite a bit of time with these kids and really liked them. Since they are off to high school (a place I do not go), I will not see them again. (Unless I go to Target. Probability of running into a recent student at Target is about….95%. If I haven’t combed my hair – 100%) I told them how much I had enjoyed being with them and wished them well in high school. It literally looked like it startled some of them. The boy who liked my little attendance launched into action. He made the very fine card that is pictured above and ran around the room getting everyone to sign it. I pretended not to notice, because I obviously wasn’t supposed to notice. I would be concerned about any teacher who didn’t actually notice such a flurry of activity, but I think it is sweet that they thought I wouldn’t notice. I have received many more beautiful cards (okay, all of the cards I have ever gotten are more beautiful than this one), but this one is very special. I’m gonna keep it.