ONE

 1...

Things I WON'T miss...

last week of school chaos,

finding creative ways to send home a year full
of papers, journals, memorabilia 
with 5-year-olds,

explaining to anxious faces that
they will not be in the same room,
and may not be with some of their same friends
come August,

having to say goodbye to culminating 5th graders,
and their families
and wondering if you will ever see them again,

and the stuff on your table that you have yet to tackle.

Things I WILL miss...

beautiful notes from current and past students,

and the original artwork that accompanies those letters,

generous and supportive families that donate
and take the time to personally deliver
pizzas, cupcakes, and juice
to excited children
and their appreciative teacher,

watching young artists create masterpieces,

listening to young singers sing,

watching young dancers dance,

and fancy birthday cakes!

TWO

 2...

Things I WON'T miss...

having to sort, pack, and organize 
all the stuff at the end of each year
and not having enough space to put it all,

sending home workbooks for the summer,
that may or may not be helpful,

distributing covid-test kits before every break,

and getting flyers to send home 15 minutes before 
dismissal.

Things I WILL miss...

Twinning with students on spirit days!
*My mom made me a pair of cropped pants to match over 2o years ago!"

signing autographs and literature books
and letting students know that I believe in them,

creating opportunities to involve food...

Holiday treats...

Tosadas...

Quesadillas...

Green Eggs and "Ham"...

Noodles with chopsticks...

Fruit Salad ...

And introducing something new and exciting!

THREE

3...

 Things I WON'T miss...

Tuesday staff meetings,
constantly changing district policy and mandates
that don't put students, families, and teachers first,
PD (professional development) that don't develop,
neverending contract negogiations,
having to walk out for 3 days without pay,
strike days in the rain with cheap rainboots
and wet socks,
36 years of blood born pathogens and 
other district mandated annual trainings,
and having active shooter trainings
added to emergency drills.

Things I WILL miss...

rallies and picket lines where
community unites to fight for what schools need and deserves,

city bus and metro teacher take overs,

city hall views

pupusas stops,

students from your first strike (1989),

surprising you on your second strike (2019),

And random monetary support from Abraham's pockets...
2 dollar bills,
2 quarters,
and today a Franklin!

FOUR

 4...

Things I WON'T miss...

DIBELS assessments, 
Edulastic assessments,
ELPAC,
DRDP and Progress Reports for 4-5 year olds,
Submitting referrals in October
and again in April
and still not able to schedule a meeting
to get some support
for both your student
and the next teacher he will have.
And did I mention progress reports?

Things I WILL miss...

Having an ample supply of sprays, shower gels, candles, and lotions at my disposal,

Helping each child discover their gifts and nurturing them,
even when you had something else planned,

Being there to witness when they make new discoveries...
observing a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis,
feeling a snail leave a slime on their arm,
finding out that the only ripe strawberry on the plant 

was eaten by a special friend from the PALS class next door,
so you plant more strawberries,

and after a month's wait,
you come back from a weekend to discover...

  I will miss moments like these.

FIVE

5...

Things I WON'T miss...

Field trip lunch bags full of candy for lunch,
Chaperones that sign up to be chaperones, and don't come.
Chaperones that come, but NEED to be chaperoned,
Teens in crowded spaces...unsupervised,
Tantrums on field trips when parents aren't there,
Tantrums on field trips when the parent IS there,
Shoes thrown in garbage cans,
Head injuries you watch happen, but can't stop,
muddy shoes and bottoms,
monitoring dates for field trip registration and orientations.

Things I WILL miss...

Taking four and five-year-olds to places they may have never been,

Lightning McQueen @ The Petersen Automobile Museum,

The tram ride, musical wall, garden, and Van Gogh @Getty Center,

Learning about LA history @ La Plaza de Cultural y Artes,

Music, storms, and cleaning poop @ Noah's Ark at the Skirball,

Touching sea anemones and beach sand @ Roundhouse Aquarium,

Dinosaur bones and butterflies @ The Natural History Museum,

Fresh strawberries and tractor rides @ Tanaka Farms

Climbing tree roots and learning what a space shuttle is @ California Science Center,

Crazy Metro train routes,
Kind and patient city bus drivers,
Witnessing the excitement of a first school bus ride,
Moms, dads, tias, abuelas, and abuelos that help lead bus routes,supervise other people's children, and help keep everyone safe. 

SIX

 6...

Something I WON'T miss...

end-of-the-year bulletins,
report cards,
closing records,
missing a culmination certificate
on the morning of the culmination,
having a DIY moment 
because you're missing only 1 certificate,
audio difficulties in a roomful of family and friends,
having to replace your soloist during the actual performance
because she realizes how big the audience is,
and pure exhaustion at the end of culmination day.

Something I WILL miss...

watching something you have
planned, organized, and practiced, 
become reality,
the joy of watching 5-year-olds dance and sing,
the pride felt when shy kiddos grab the mic
and belt out solos,
being pleasantly surprised,
when the kid that cried the first 5 months of the year,
suddenly volunteers to recite the class mission statement
in front of a packed crowd,
and the special time after the culmination,
reconnecting with students and families.

 

SEVEN

 7...

Something I WON'T miss...

trying to explain and comfort 5-year-olds on
why big brothers won't play with them,
why adults fights and yell at each other,
why beloved pets runaway,
why they are not allowed to see a parent,
why mommy can't go on a field trip because she has to work,
why people you love never come back,
why you can't have the tablet all day.

Something I WILL miss...

listening to them talk about their lives,

reassuring them that they are loved, valued, and welcomed,

creating an environment where they feel safe to express their thoughts, feelings, and needs,

establishing a class community where friends support each other without judgment,

finding ways to bring joy, curiosity, and love when there is sadness and fear,