Today I feel melancholic. In 6 days it'll be my last day with my 3rd grade - the first class I ever taught since I graduated college. I'm extremely proud of them and what they have achieved over the last 2 years. They'll do well from now on, I'm sure of that.

Yesterday I went to their summerparty and three of the girls had made me gifts. I was so moved by the fact that they spent their entire afternoon making me the three items pictured above. Generally I was very moved by the reaction of both parents and kids during the entire night. I guess I knew that the parents were fairly content with my teaching and what I've accomplished, but I'd no idea that they were genuinely sad that I'm not continuing with the class. In a way it makes me feel good to know that they have been that positive about me teaching the kids, but it also makes me feel so sad that I decided to switch the class to a new 1st grade. In a way I feel like I'm letting them down by not continuing. But I have to let go and keep telling myself that I did what I could for them and now someone else needs to step up and do their best for them.