What's After Work?

Today I had my first day of last classes. I teach classes on a 2 week rotation so today's classes I saw for the last time. Some if the kids I'll miss others I won't, most though I will miss. Seeing the kids grow up is interesting. Most I meet when they are in kindergarten, funny little tinderboxes going from meltdown to laughing in just a few breaths. They leave in 5th grade on the cusp of teenagerhood. By that point middle school can have them. Today was also the 10th day of "Blissmas" and all the teams are decorating my door. This is my door with close-ups of each teams contribution below. I think all the kids are starting to realize that I am going to be leaving soon. Many ask me why others want to know what retirement is. The one that most seem to understand the most is that I am retiring so I can see more of my grandson. That seems to be a concept that they get.

A last firing of student work in my kiln  For the last 19 years I have been creating lesson plans. I have no idea how many I'm not much for record keeping and rarely use the same lesson twice. I guess that is the artist in me to try something new and then move on. Well today I figured out what we will be doing for the final 3 weeks of my teaching career. I still have a week and 3 days of returning the ceramic "thumb buddy's" to their creators. Then we will do a weaving project, making a woven bowl. I had to come up with a plan that would incorporate some of the standards that I teach as well as be one that a sub could do. You see in a few days I have to go to the other side of town, during school hours to have my exit interview with the district. This will be the final step in my retirement. While there I have to bring a check for two months of health insurance, ouch. Jan went through the same step when she retired. I guess they want to make sure that I have my ...