Time is Marching On

Twelve.  The magic number is twelve.

If you work in Community ISD, or most of Texas, you have twelve weeks left.

Twelve more Mondays, twelve more Fridays.

That's about sixty days.  Sixty more chances. Sixty more opportunities.

These children will never be yours again.  You will never have another chance to teach these children what they need to know.  If you don't use your time wisely, those opportunities might be missed.

You will have another class next year, more students to teach, to get to know, to learn from.  But these children will belong to someone else.

How many weeks do you have left?

What else do you need to teach them?

What else do you need for them to know?

When you think about the time that you have left with these students, how do you want to spend it?  Do you want them to be excited, engaged, enthusiastic?  Do you want them counting down the days for other reasons--because they can't wait for summer and no more school?  Or would you rather they were counting down the days so that they understand the importance of each one?

Sure, everyone is excited for summer break--vacations, time with family, a chance to play a little more (sleep a little more!) but summer also means the end of a long, hard year of learning. It is a transition period.  When we learn to let go and our excitment grows for our next class of students.

But between now and that final day, we still have a lot of word to do.  A lot!  Have each of your students made at least one year worth of progress? Have each of your student met his or her full potential?  How much more growing can these little flowers do before the bell rings for the final time?

When they walk out that door for the last time, wouldn't it be nice to know you gave it everything you had? Wouldn't you like to know there is a bit of sadness in their hearts because they know they are no longer yours?

Ah, but there's the real  trick.  The secret. They really are yours forever.  You've left a little bit of your heart and soul in each one of them.  They may not ever realize it, but you know.  You've left your mark, your imprint, your passion for learning with each of them. They'll move on but they are stronger, smarter, better people now because of the time they spent with you.

So take advantage of these 12 weeks, these sixty little days. They will be gone oh, too soon.  Take a moment, look around, enjoy their smiling faces, and teach your heart out.  You can do it! We're in the homestretch now. The marathon has become a sprint.  Keep running until the very last second.