Curtain Call

Last week was a momentous one for me. I finished my student teaching!!! Yay! Even with all we've dealt with because of DH's parents and ex, the five years it took me to get through college the first time, and the hellacious teenage years, I think student teaching was the hardest thing I've ever been through. Four months of essentially sleepless nights, paranoia that the kids hated me and that I had absolutely no clue as to what I was doing, anxiety over being observed by my supervising teacher. But looking back, I realize how much I loved it. Sure, the kids drove me nuts sometimes, and I definitely had some bad days. But all in all, "my" kids had personality and humor and energy that I looked forward to experiencing every day. I know I'll look back in a few years and wonder whatever became of them. I wish them all the best.

On my last day they gave me a huge surprise. Actually, a few surprises. First period was all worried about a student that was absent. This guy was absent fairly often, so I couldn't figure out why they were so concerned this time. Turns out, he was bringing the doughnuts. They had all chipped in to get breakfast in honor of my last day. And the poor guy who went to get them had to take his dog to the vet because she got hit by a car that morning. Luckily the vet said the dog would be just fine. Some of the other classes chipped in and got me a big, beautiful geranium plant. Which I will be giving to my mother so it will have a long and healthy life, as opposed to the slow, torturous death it would surely suffer if I kept it with me. They also got me a VERY cool book about the making of the new Star Wars movie! And a couple of movie theater gift certificates so I can go see the movie when it comes out. I will definitely be thinking of my students on May 19th. Right up until the lights go down and that familiar music starts. Then it's all about Vader. But I'll think of my students again once the movie is over. As if the doughnuts, plant, book, and gift certificates weren't enough, one student also made a huge card which all the classes signed. Keeping that forever! On top of all that, a few students got me gifts on their own. One girl who I thought couldn't stand me gave me flowers. Another girl got me a book by her favorite author, which I cannot wait to read this summer. Another girl got me a lovely gift basket which she filled with candy, a candle, and beautiful jewelry, plus a very sweet card. And one boy wrote me an incredibly sweet note telling me how much I had taught him this semester. The next night, I had dinner with some of the other teachers and they got me a gift basket containing a small fortune in school supplies. It's like it was my birthday! I was really touched by the students' generosity and thoughtfulness. I had no idea they would do something like that. My mentor teacher said they had wanted to send me on a trip, but she convinced them they wouldn't be able to collect that much money. I really don't know if I'll ever have students that great again.

Of course, even though I miss them, I am SO glad to be done with it. Now I can sleep late and watch Dawson's Creek on TBS in the mornings. They're on the awful college years, so it's only a matter of weeks before they're on the awesome Pacey and Joey years again. BTW, exactly how sad is it that a 30-something woman still gets a kick out of a teenage melodrama? Yeah, that's what I thought. Moving on.

Now I just have to find a job. You keep hearing about a teacher shortage here in the South, but I can't figure out where it is. None of the schools around here seem to need anyone. My mother says it will all work out and God will put me where He wants me to be. Wonder if He wants me to be at Wal-Mart? I keep joking that I'm going to learn how to say, "Welcome to Wal-Mart," in seven different languages so I can beat out the retired senior citizen competition for greeter jobs. At least, I hope it's only a joke. Time will tell.