Um, where did the week go?!

Time does fly when you're having fun, right?

I can NOT believe it is already Thursday! After tomorrow, I am home free! At least 70 days to do whatever I darn well please (minus the 5 days this summer that I am involved in either training or learning institute work).

It seems like 2 weeks ago that I visited 2nd grade. It was only Monday. 4 days ago! This week has FLOWN much faster than I thought it would. I really have kept my kids focused on academics too. A lot of other teachers have gone to movies and other busywork type of things. My kiddos did a full day's worth of stuff through yesterday. Today we finished up a summary activity and then I let them watch a movie. I figured they kind of deserve it! They were astounded. One child even said "but Mrs. Sunny, you never let us watch movies during the middle of the day!" (And I don't!)

Today we had our 5th grade graduation ceremony. The kids did such a great job. I am a huge stickler on being proud of who you are and showing your best self, especially when others are watching. I kept telling them I didn't care if every other 5th grader in the school was talking, we weren't going to. And they were fabulous! Some of the other 5th graders were embarrassing. I was glad they weren't in my class. Every one of my students did an amazing job. After the ceremony was over, one of my WORST students gave me a bouquet of flowers! I could not believe it. I even said "aww, [student name], I knew you loved me after all!" and gave him a huge hug. I also made him promise me that he'd go to 6th grade and give it the effort I KNOW he is capable of. I had SO many pictures of me taken with kiddos today. It feels so awesome to end this year on such a positive note. I told all of my kids that regardless of the fact that they are no longer going to be students at our school that if they need anything next year, they know where to find me! 

The students are allowed to go home with their parents after the ceremony if they want to and I ended up with 4 kiddos for the last half hour of the day. Such a hard life I have, huh? I felt bad that one of my kids had NO ONE come to the ceremony. Very sad. My very worst student didn't even come. He was absent yesterday too. Is it mean to admit that I was kind of glad he wasn't there?? It meant he couldn't ruin the ceremony for everyone else who has worked so hard this year. I am hopeful maybe he won't come tomorrow either since it's only a half day.

Yesterday after school one of the 3rd grade teachers asked me if I was willing to change my classroom assignment for next year. One of our displaced teachers was notified yesterday that the teacher who is retiring had her paperwork finally go through and thus, she got the right to that job. So she is moving from 1st to 3rd grade. The other 3rd grade teacher asked me if I was willing to trade classrooms to take the room that is currently the third grade retiree's room so that the new 3rd grade teacher would be next door to her. I said it made zero difference to me what room I am in since I am changing floors anyway.

The good news about being so darn flexible is, I was asking Mrs. Retiree about her room and after school she kind of showed me around. She is leaving me an ENTIRE CABINET of books on CD complete with a listening station inside AND a small bookshelf full of books that someone gave her years ago and she said I could just have! There are lots of other things she is just planning to leave and told me to do as I will with them! She's my new best friend! She's leaving her mailboxes which are WAY better than the brand new ones that the school bought me this year and a bunch of other stuff. I am so happy that I decided to agree to change rooms. I don't think that the recalled teacher realizes the treasure she just gave up!!

The only downside is that it means I am going to have to spend 2-3 days in my new room sorting, organizing and figuring out what I need to keep and what needs to go. Some of the stuff will go to the new 3rd grade room down the hall because it is 3rd grade specific but otherwise everything in that room is mine. Very, very cool. Being flexible does have it's benefits!