Another year gone by

I decided to sneak into Mesa High this morning to help administer the final exam to my only class of seniors. I love teaching seniors because it is such an exciting time of life. On one hand, they have Peter Pan syndrome and don't want to grow up, and on the other hand, they are desperate for independence. I remember those feelings vividly! While seniors can be huge pains because of all of these conflicting emotions, they are also full of promise and potential.

This year I team taught Senior English with Mrs. Smith, one of the most talented teachers I have ever known. Our class began with 32 kids, several had learning disabilities, many were at-risk, and a select few were college bound. Rough crowd, but therein was our challenge. We ended today with 21 kids. Some of our toughest kids made it through, a few became parents, and more than we expected are going to college.

For the final exam, we sat in a circle and each person gave a toast. Then our kids read letters they had written to themselves the first day of school. Everyone received a "Senior Soundtrack" CD with songs we used throughout the year. Their last assignment was to write down what life lessons they learned this year. As Green Day's Time of Your Life played in the background, we exchanged handshakes, hugs, and shed a few tears. We didn't say goodbye, we said good luck on your journey. My favorite part was the huge hug I received from an 18 year old kid, gigantic next to me, who has been providing for himself and his mother while attending school.

After seven years of teaching, I still get emotional when I have to say goodbye to my kids. Especially the seniors. Each class becomes a little family, an extension of who I am. I cannot begin to describe the amazing connections that were made in our class, but I am so thankful for such a rewarding job.

Did you ever have a class or teacher in high school that has always stayed with you on your journey?