We have committees at the end of the year and we always give thanks to all of those who have helped us have a successful year. So a group of kids spearhead thank you letters; they have everyone write them, they gather them, bind them and present them. This year though they presented one to me as well; a complete surprise and one that has left me a little teary eyed. So what were some favorite comments?
- I like it a lot because you are not strict but don’t let kids fool around like my bus driver.
- I sometimes have been thinking I did bad but you made me feel much better.
- My family and I will miss you…I babysit.
- The most interesting part of my blogging experience was that people on the other side of the Earth ask questions that people in America think everyone must know the answer [to].
- Thank you for not trying to bore us in class…
- Thank you for criticizing me but not being mean about it.
- You have inspired me to want to become a teacher.
- You cared about the class and what we wanted…
- Thank you for helping and believing in me…
- I will miss you the most
And so that’s why I teach…
May your final days with your students be filled with stories and laughter, and perhaps a tear shed in private or public.
Pernille Ripp 
I love the one that says "I babysit." 🙂
Yes, yes, yes. This year I was fully committed to the students – I dropped department head so I could be! – and that has made all the difference. My yearbook signatures look a lot like these comments. My favorite is from one of my toughest students… "From the bottom of my heart you are my favorite teacher. And that's pretty big because I don't like school so much!…." She made me read it in front of her because she was tearing up writing it, so I did, and I cried, too! THEY are why we teach!! @joykirr
I don't know if you know this but every year my mom comes in for a few days and works with the kids to make a scrapbook with all the pictures from the year. I work with them too and get to see it progress and develop. The best part, though, is that she has the kids write something to me (as if I don't know!) and she makes a page with their pictures and with their writing. I am always floored by the sentiments and it is wonderful to go into the summer with those being the final thoughts instead of everything else. Congratulations on another year in the books, i'm sure it was wonderful.
Did you see the comment I left for you in response to your "what we do at the end of the year" post? My contribution to those sentiments that keep us in the classroom . Andrea
Andrea, yes, I did. And I am so glad you were able to use some of those projects. I loved seeing what my students had created.
One of the best things and most challenging part is teaching kids about safety. For instance, when discussing the reason for reminding them not to push each other beside the pool and the presence of a pool fence in Tampa Bay, children would ask what's the purpose of the pool fence and why can't they run, reasoning that it is more fun to run – they never ran out of reasons, and the teacher too, must not ran out of logical replies.
Letting go is part of our life. In time you'll be able to accept their departure. The good thing is that you were able to plant seeds for them to be a better person no matter where they may be.