As the year winds down..

All my posts will probably be about my students and teaching for the next little whole. DEAL WITH IT.

School is basically over. I have all my IEPs and paperwork done. I have finished out teaching my curriculum. Next week is technically our last week, but the 9th graders only come for 3 of those days and one day is our yearbook party and another is the 9th grade field day. Soooo I still have to be at work, but teaching is done. It's weird. The last lesson I taught was yesterday. It was about the Hero's Journey and the 12 labors of Hercules. What a lesson to go out on. I'm totally going to make some deep connection about how this represents that I am a hero and tougher than Hercules. Man, I'm so cool.

Thursday night was the 9th grade awards. Each department gets to nominate a few kids to get awards. Then there's awards for GPAs and cool scholarships and stuff. I got to nominate 7 of my kids (1 kid couldn't come) for awards and present them to them. It was a proud moment. 

This last one was a really exciting one. I presented my student with the "most improved" award out of all the students in the school. This kid has kicked it into hear the last half of this year. I've had him for two years, and this quarter and last are the first times he has never gotten an F. Every quarter he has failed multiple classes. No for lack of intelligence, but for lack of motivation. But something happened this year, and I have never seen a kid work so freaking hard or be more proud of himself. The other day when he was looking over his grades he said, "I don't know what happened. I don't know why I now have decided to change. My parents don't care if I pass, and they aren't giving me any kind of reward. Something just clicked. I think I'm growing up!" And he definitely is.

Today I threw my class parties since there won't be time next week. I only give them this one party a year and it has to be earned. One class almost didn't make it, but squeaked through in the end. We had treats and I let them hang out. I told them I wanted pictures (they all know my picture obsession) and one guy took my phone for me and went around to take a bunch. There are already quite a few kids who have stopped coming to school (thanks for that parents!) so I am missing some from my group shots. Oh well!  I love these guys. We've become such a family. I'm really gonna miss them.

The 5th period party started when a boy asked to be duct taped to a chair..

And then amazed us all as he got out on his own

I love this picture because I caught them laughing at something I said. YOU GUYS! NO ONE WILL EVER THINK I AM AS FUNNY AS 9TH GRADE BOYS DO. We have a very similar sense of humor. I'm not ashamed.

Notice my friend in the back thinking he would skip out on the picture. GOT HIM.

Does this picture help you see why 5th period always gave me a headache? And we needed weekly visits from the school psychologist to talk about appropriate behaviors? 

8th period party was much calmer..

Kinda.

Can I do what teachers are not supposed to do and admit that although I love each of my kids very much, I totally have favorites? Please, we all have favorites. These are mine. My hardest kids are always my favorites. I taught them all for 2 years, and that guy in the middle was actually in the class that I student taught. So I got him for 2 and a half. They are the sweetest boys in the world. And I watched them grown from little kids to full blown almost-men. they love to goof off and have trouble doing what they should be doing, but they have the biggest hearts and they have a big place in mine.

My room is basically all packed up. My life for the past three years fits into a few crates and is ready to be stored for the next few years. So weird. I know I'll do one more post about leaving because I just have so many emotions. I'm sure you can hardly wait! I've gotta say, pregnancy hormones mixed with the emotions of leaving my job is making for some really fun times. Sorry, I meant dramatic; not fun.