Last Three Days

As I sit here at my desk with three days left of school, I had yet another pondering..."Why?"

Why do we have a schedule to see all eight blocks in one day?  Why do we have an entire day dedicated to an assembly and yearbook distribution?  Why do teachers have the same last day as students?  Why am I writing this blog?  While I don't have clear answers for all of these questions, and several more that are buzzing around in my head, I will offer some thoughts about each...at least from the desk of a High School Math Teacher.

To see all eight blocks.  This gives our students the opportunity to see each of their classmates and teachers one last time together as a unit to get some closure on the school year.  Meeting after taking the final exam (which has been graded and put into the almighty grade book) also gives an opportunity for students and teachers to discuss feelings about the final exam, which in turn also leads to questions about their final grade.

Day for assembly and Yearbook.  Being that we are an International School, we are a transient population.  We move a lot.  New people are here every year.  This closing ceremony is, again, a way to give closure to students, teachers and administrators.  Sometimes we laugh.  Sometimes we cry.  Sometimes we wonder "WHY?"  In the end, we all get to finish out the year together and that is important.

The same last day.  This is fairly common in International Schools so it is probably not even on many other people's radar, except mine.  Having teachers and students end on the same day is nothing less than chaotic.  Chaotic for the kids, chaotic for the teachers, chaotic for the parents.  This is simply because it is a mad race to try to get everything accomplished.  Is this what we have taught our students all year, rush like a demon to get your work done?  I hope not.  I think taking even one extra day after the kids leave for summer break would a huge relief to many teachers.  It would also allow teachers to concentrate on what is important on that last day, the kids not the paperwork.  The last day with your students should be special for both you and them so why ruin that by mixing in administrative paperwork and checkout processes with tears of joy, gifts, celebrations and all the happy memories of the school year?

As I am finishing this post, my students have started to come in my room.  It is at this point that I have realized that kids have an amazing way of seeing & feeling things as well as an uncanny way of summing things up with excellent viewpoints.  For example, I just heard this being said from one student to another "Want to tell me what the point of this is?  No one's going to be here."  This statement was not said in a nasty tone, it was actually said with honesty.  She was looking for an answer from her classmate.  They sat their books down, turned and walked back out of class to discuss many other things in the three minutes they had left before class.  They didn't have any idea that I could hear them talking, but I found it very interesting that they were discussing the same things I am writing about.  Think about how they will remember the last day of school.  Not as a time of closure.  Not as a time of getting resolution on an exam question.  Not as enjoying a celebration of another year of learning.  They will remember this day as "Why...", or maybe not.

Yes, I distributed my exams back to my students as expected by them and we discussed (very quickly) the results and I allowed them to ask questions.  Then I played my favorite beginning of summer song, Summertime by D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.  And yes, I sang along.  This is hopefully how my students will remember their last day with me as I will remember the looks on their faces as they watch and listen to me sing along.  This was my answer to the "WHY" question.  What is yours?