Graduation

Well, today was the day. My kiddos are gone. I'm not that sad. I'm not that affected by it. But it is weird. I mean...I know I've said this before, but it's bizarre when this group of people become so important to you--they are a good portion of your time and energy and focus for a year--and then they disappear forever. At first I felt like all that time and energy was wasted but I know it wasn't. They're good people and I really truly believe that it's the people you meet and become close to who shape who you become and I've helped shape these kids. I think thats a good thing...lol.

A lot has happened in the past week but i haven't had a lot of time to write. Final projects came in (which, by the way, were stupendous). I found a place to live next year, I packed up most of my apartment. I got most things ready for Ireland. I had Margie's BD and Father's day. My parents went on a cruise. Then, of course, on Friday was the Teacher Tunnel. This year it was different. I didn't know as many students so a good portion of the time I stood awkwardly waiting for students to come to me. However, it was worth it. Though it wasn't the onslaught of "you're my favorite teacher ever!" like last year, a few kids really hit home. The cool thing that I'm finding is that, the kids that I really touch are the kids that I most admire. I think that's really cool. I may not touch everyone, but the ones that I do touch are those amazing kids that I wish I could be like!

Anyway, a few stories just to get them out of my head. Last Friday a few kids really hit home.

KunWoo--didn't talk at all first semester, then halfway through second semester he came up and was rattling away about how interesting caucuses are and asking questions about why we don't do it differently. I was so surprised. At the tunnel KunWoo didn't say much but he grinned and he said thank you and he said, "I learned so much in your class! So much! It's incredible. I knew nothing about government before this year." It was sortof awkward but I think that was KunWoo's way of giving thanks.

Bar-- My little fashionista. She looks like a model, acts sometimes like a *****, but there's just something about her that I connected with. She's incredibly intelligent and thoughtful and we connected this year. Bar is very critical of people but she made me feel so special because when she spotted me in the crowd she plowed through 10 people to get to me, squealing the whole way, "Ms. Burdick! I've been looking for you forever!!" Just those few words made me feel so special, that when she thought of someone who meant something to her, she thought of me. She said a lot more things and she was so sincere that it really touched my heart.

John Yip -- Oh man, I love John. Smartest kid I've ever met. Kindhearted too. He has, quite literally, taken every single social studies class we offer and he loved every one of them. But he adores me and he adores my class and when I saw him at the teacher tunnel he said so many things that just made me feel special. John is one of those stellar students, and when a stellar student like John can't stop talking about how wonderful my class was and ...man. I'll stop but it made me feel like a star teacher.

Cami - Cami made me hold back tears. She came over, took both my hands in hers and with shining eyes, said so many things that I'm embarrassed to say them. To sum it up, Cami told me all the things I taught her, and she was convinced that I taught her how to be a good person and how to love people even when they make life difficult for you and how to be kind and solid in your beliefs and moral and ethical and honest. And all I could say was, "Cami, you're an amazing young woman!" and she just said that it was me who taught her how to be that way. She was lying, her parents taught her that, but that was one of the first times I've had a student tell me that my example as a person has affected them. I see my role in the school as a ministry. Even though it's kinda creepy, I kindof see my role as a way I can influence students to make moral and ethical choices. So many influences in their lives turn them away from those things. I always try to be a good example but a lot of times I feel like I hide so much of my personal moral opinions to myself that my kids can't learn from me. But, apparently, they see.

And then, though I didn't get a Golden Burd Award this year, I did get made an honorary DG. There is a group of 5 boys in my Gov class and they go by "The DG's." All year I have been trying to figure out what that means. They tie it into everything. When they need a team name, "DG." When they need a descriptor, "That is so DG." ANYWAY, finally last week I coaxed them into telling me what it means. No one else knows! Believe me, I've been trying to figure it out all year. Anyway, they finally told me what it meant. It has to do with a video game (they're all gamers, though you wouldn't guess it) they all played when they were in middle school together. Well, at the Teacher Tunnel all five of them gathered around me, and told me that they were making me an honorary DG! So, I had to make a lot of noise and then we had a big group hug, basically I got smushed in the middle since I'm quite a bit shorter. Anyway, that made my day.

MAGAZINES! (more about them later)