Days 71 & 72 - I Miss the Kids Like Crazy

Saturday and Sunday, May 23 & 24, 2020

I'm totally stealing the title "I Miss the Kids Like Crazy" from Dan Kerr... because it's true for so many educators.

This weekend I worked on end-of-year videos for my classes. I was so fortunate that I had so many saved with Animoto from my two-week parent updates, and I'm so fortunate I could work WeVideo thanks to help from our tech teachers. (And really, I'm glad my iMovie application was out-of-date so I couldn't use it!) I'm sooooo grateful I could look back on the photos and smile. I was able to quickly record an introduction - saying my final thank you to my students.

https://www.wevideo.com/

When I finished one, I decided to watch it (obviously) to see if it worked.

Tears came, and I let them.

I miss their laughter. I miss their silliness. I miss their drama. I miss their stories. I miss their questions. I miss their sighs. I miss their resistance. I miss their participation.

Watching one of the videos included IN the video of photos, I was missing what we might not have next school year (if rumors are true).

I'll be missing no masks, partitions, reading classroom books, over-the-shoulder feedback, book clubs, sharing supplies, the student station, even grammar on the board... the KIDS leading in many ways. I still want to be the facilitator. I need to find out ways I can have student-led activities next year should we teach remotely or even in class with all the restrictions put in place.

Today, however, I decided to not think about next school year. I still have one week left to miss these students. Oh, how I hope they join me on Friday for our last Zoom meeting where I can share the video I made live. I want to see their faces watching the video. I want to hear their giggles and whatever they have to say after the video. I won't want to hang up the call.