MORE FINAL DAYS

One of the hardest things about Final Days is to say goodbye to the fifth graders. These kiddos were in second grade when I started working as a coach in their building. I have seen them grow as students, writers and readers. I have used them in studies for me to grow and watched them grow in turn. I have tried out ideas on them to see if lessons were really as good as I thought they were. They never let me down.

As the days wind down, I am sure their teacher is having anxiety attacks and many sleepless nights in tears. She has lived with them for two years day in, day out. I only visit once in awhile...but still, it has been four years. I knew them as babies and here they are almost teenagers for heaven's sake!

I am so proud of them. They are thinkers. They push the bubble and try things that I never thought fifth graders were capable of pushing. They can talk about books like an adult...they make ME think!

I know they will be wonderful middle school students. I only hope those schools are ready for THEM! I hope they will challenge them and keep them thinking. I hope they will see what they can do and push them even more. Someday we will see these wonderful kids as graduating Seniors going off to college or trade school. There is nothing they can't do!

So, good-bye fifth graders! Keep up the great reading...don't stop. Keep writing...persuade people with your challenges, entertain with your poetry and keep your thoughts and ideas in those terrific writer's notebooks! Make us proud!!!