Closing Up for Another Year

Just a handful of days left before saying goodbye for the summer. Report cards are pretty well finished, except for some touch-ups. This week I'll be having my students make a special craft that can be assembled into a big display for my room, something like a quilt. It should be a pretty low-key time as we clean up loose ends around the room.

At the end of my first year of teaching primary, I'm feeling like I can do this again. This summer I'll be taking some math training to improve my approach for next year's group. I'm looking forward to getting the room "emptied out" and having a fresh go at setting it up again.

What are the things that are the same from year to year? Let me try a list:

1. The feeling of being done; of having finished a race; the sense of closure with a certain group of children.
2. The cleaning up and storing away of materials.
3. The huge pile of throw-away papers- literally, bags full.
4. Empty walls and bulletin boards, full of possibility for another year.
5. The constant thought of: what will I do differently next year?