Quiet. It was unbelievably and painfully quiet. All of the voices of children shouting out answers, reading aloud, talking through problems, a discovery made seemed to have vanished as quickly as they came into the room. A room filled with laughter and discussion was now filled with an eerie silence. I stood alone in my room staring out at the window. It was like an empty gymnasium after the championship game. It was over. Finished. I had to get up and leave the year behind. More difficult however, was I had to trust my ability as a teacher and trust the kids and move on. I wished I had had more time. Surely I hadn't taught them everything they needed to know. They need to come back! I didn't warn them enough about 5th grade...I didn't tell them my last story...Maybe they still need to review long division...I need to show them another way I forgot about to take notes...They don't come back. With all your power in you as exhausted as you are by the end of the year, you have to believe that you did the best with your students. You DID teach them everything they need to know. It's done now. The author puts the pen down, the last person in the stands has left, the audience has gone home, and you, teacher, walk to your car with your box of drawings from students, pictures from the year, and some books students returned to you at the last minute. Yes, this year is finished, but as only a teacher can, that quiet room will be transformed with magic again. The magic of adventure and discovery will intrigue new minds.
