I hope they appreciate them

I spent most of my evening getting my end of term gifts for adults and children ready.  I'm not flush with cash so I have had for think outside the box a bit.  I made a little pack for the children of a pencil with a rubber and some bubbles with a label that says "you blew me away this year".  First thing GO says is "I hope they appreciate them!"  Truth is they probably won't but it's the thought that counts.

Lovely Lovely People

This has been the summer of visitations and felicitations, after all of the stresses and strains of working in the little village school I made a conscious effort to go and see the people that I love and who make me feel good about myself.
Some of them are near by and I see on a regular basis, but some special people live a little bit further away, so seeing them requires lots of planning and forethought.  Whoever I am spending time with I always enjoy myself and wish I could stay longer.

Last Day at the little village school

I finally made it, today was my last day at the little village school.

It has been a very long week, tying up loose ends, sorting and tidying up and just basically getting ready to leave.  

The end of the school year is always a mixed bag of emotions, sad to be handing over a cohort you have cared for and nurtured for the past year, excited about the year ahead and relieved that it is finally over!

This year however was particularly sad because I was moving on, for good.  

It has been a very stressful couple of years and working had begun to affect my health.  It wasn't easy but after a lot ( a heck of a lot) of soul searching I decided that I needed to move on.

To give myself a chance to have a family of my own, I would have to remove as much stess from life as possible.  That stress was most definitely work related.

Today began quite manically, my TA was unavoidably detained and all of the parents from my class and other classes seemed to be congregating in my classroom.  I was called out by the head for a "chat", which was all a ruse, when I retuned all children were sat in a circle and there parents were all there.  

As I walked in I was suddenly hit by the enormity of what I was doing and I crumbled, a had to leave the room to compose myself.  The parents had organised a lovely book with pictures all of the children I had taught it.  They also gave me vouchers worth over £100, their generosity has completely blown me away.  As Mrs F said "it just goes to show how much you were appreciated."

We then made our way to the local church, for the year six leavers service, always an emotional moment.  After that we had a tidy up, lunch, another assembly.  I was able to say a few words about how lovely the children are and how much I'd miss them.  Then it was home time, but as I arrived back in the classroom some of the parents were already there, I had left the door open!  They had organised a little tea party to say goodbye.  I was extremely touched by this and felt a year or two on my cheek.

I have learned a lot about myself as a person and as a teacher the past five years.  I am very sad to be leaving, but there is also a small feeling if relief.  I am now officially a supply teacher an as such can plan my own hours. Having said that my first placement is three months in a local RC school, a new challenge that I am looking forward too.