Every week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share a celebration. What a great way to focus on something to celebrate!

I’m a first timer with posting a celebration.  I’ve come across some posts of people celebrating but until now, haven’t linked up a celebration.

Yesterday, marked the end of my 15th year of teaching.  Wow, 15 years already.  That in itself is a celebration!  The bigger celebration is that I still love what I do.  It’s still my passion and I continue to want to learn more and be a better teacher.

Saying “goodbye” to my kiddos each year is bittersweet.  The end of the year is hard for me – I’m not really a fan of “endings.”  I don’t like “goodbyes.”  But this year, it felt harder to let them go.

I had read some of their thank you cards during the day and the kids were making me lots of pictures.  One little girl kept announcing that she was sad to be leaving me.  This was the same little girl who had a tough time transitioning to her new school and cried and cried for the first month.   But, she soon became my best hugger (several times a day) and one of the most enthusiastic learners.  But that’s not what made me emotional.  I was doing fine until I took them outside to be dismissed.  Their parents started to come over with big smiles and phones out for pictures.  They were mouthing “thank yous” and putting their hands over their hearts.  The kids and I did a big group hug and posed for a “family” picture.  And then, all of a sudden, I found myself fighting back the tears and my breath was taken away.

These kiddos were a special bunch with very supportive parents. We had a wonderful year together and formed a close bond.  I guess some years are just like that.  So my celebration is them!  They have grown in all possible ways during our 10 months together.  Every day they amazed me in one way or another.  They became stronger readers, writers, and thinkers.  I hope they’re celebrating all they’ve learned as well.

Today, I celebrate successfully finishing my 15th year of teaching and my special group of 1st graders who made this year amazing!