Saying Goodbye...

I have been a bit behind on updating my blog so I am just starting to get caught back up... Although I finished my placement at Black River Falls several weeks ago, I still think about my little tikes nearly everyday. I miss everything about them, from getting sneezed on to learning to count in Ho-Chunk with them. I never would have dreamt of teaching elementary art if I hadn't been forced to for my student teaching placement. Now, it feels like my heart lies with them. Each week I have written a reflection about my experiences. I just took the time to go back and read my last entry for Black River Falls and everything I said then still rings true today. An excerpt from that entry can be seen below:

"I honestly don’t know how to write this without sounding like a mushy sap. As of Thursday, I have begun telling my classes goodbye. It will be tough to leave these kids in a few days. They have grown on me more than I thought they would. They have embraced and respected me as if I were a full-time faculty member. This past week, some of my students took the initiative, with my CT, to begin filming a “Why you should hire Mr. Calvert” video (which can be found in my 'About' section). They make me proud in so many ways and it makes me question if I did enough for them. These kids (many of whom come from tough situations) deserve the world and every possible opportunity that comes with it. Without them knowing, they have reassured me that I will be doing something that I truly love after I graduate. Every struggle up until this point has been worth it."