The very last day of school today. The little crafters worked in their visual journals.
We’ve been visual journaling daily this last week of school.
I love the photos from home so much. I know some are removed from frames or taken out of photo albums. I have a silent “don’t ask don’t tell” policy in place.
Plenty of love letters in these last days of second grade. I gobble them all up. Love upon love upon love. It’s a real banquet.
This year the coloring book was KING. I wonder what big idea will take root next year.
The gel pens have been wildly embraced.
Someone dismantled their old Disney book. Gallant princes, bears, butterscotch sundaes, mom & dad. It’s all good.
Hearts poured out.
Big dreams finding places to live on the page.
This morning some of the kids began to spontaneously sing some Spanish nursery rhymes. It was so perfect. So dear.
At the end of the day they lined up for tight hugs. And then just like that the little birds flew out of their 2nd grade nest. I watched them go. A small flock rising from a field. Filling the sky with birdsong and chatter.
Unbelievable! 2nd graders who feel completely free to express themselves at school…Congratulations on a job well done, Mary Ann.
This is so cool, Mary Ann!
How incredibly touching! Thank you for sharing these love-filled memories.
Wow! Mary Ann you rock! You’ve got a room full of little learning machines who are highly motivated and loving school and learning! Oh I hope they get to keep that feeling. Can you please bottle that atmosphere and give us all a little! After seeing this I’m signing up for one of your online journal classes!! (I was going to anyway).
🙂
I LOVE their journals.
…and how DID you learn so many things??!!!
oh how precious!!! That video…my heart melted into a little puddle on the floor. I love the kids visual journals. YOu’re doing such awesome things.
Love personified…oh those wonderful little souls you’ve touched.
This one made me cry , too. Cry for the little singing birds, who were so lucky to have gotten a teacher like you AND who have been released for the summer with memories of their beloved teacher buried in their chests. Cry for the teacher who gets a rest from being an inspiration and is now on the way to be inspired with a fresh perspective in TURKEY!!!
Peace and blessings to you. You have done so very well.
~Sassi
i have been surfing around your site at all the fabulous journals made by your students… no wonder they love you. you make a huge difference in their lives. i wish i would have had a teacher like you when i was young. the love you give is never to be known to its fullest. it is like a stone whose ripples go on and on and on… thank you. i’m so touched. i may have to sign up for one of your classes…
Oh, Mary Ann, this made me cry tears of joy. Tears of joy mixed in with such gratefulness to have been a teacher of young children myself. You are what every person needs as they begin their journey in learning and life. I believe I still have a letter(we are talking more than 30 years!) from a little guy who would hide in the cupboards until I fished him out. It went something like this: “Joy to you Mrs. Kelley. If you was younger and I was older, I would take you away from all of this, yes I would,good life to you Mrs. Kelley”. I am going to have to find it. Your beauty and love shines through in all you do. Thank you. Ellen. ..and p.s. the children are beautiful.
Moss Cottage, Greetings, you just won the big lottery of life a childs love and approvel how wonderful. Have a great day moss cottage.
Linda
These are so great!
I also wanted to let you know how much fun we had in my room with the art journals. The kids loved every single moment with them. I plan on incorporating it throughout the whole school year. Thank you so much for your inspiration.
so beautifully inspiring ~ thank you for pouring yourself into them this year so now they can wash the world with their cleverness and touch a little bit of all of us
Oh the beauty of these little ones expressing heart and soul and love. They are so lucky to have you to love! And introducing them to journaling a huge gift! Just as important as math and science! You are special. CW
This post made my heart feel bigger.
And why not love upon love? For good or ill, I think we remember our elementary school teachers for all of our lives. You’re creating the best of memories! Know that we’re blessed by teachers like you.
mary ann, it was soooooo worth it. to see those happy kids singing and working like crazy in their journals on the last day of school. so many kids would be slumping in their seats just watching the clock. and the video and the notes to teacher are priceless. what a wonderful testament to your teaching. GOLD STAR FOR THE TEACHER!!
I wish you could all of them forever and ever. You’re so good at learning to let them go, like a true mother.
upon love…and you are their teacher forever…if only in their hearts. having now experienced other on line classes l can truly say that you are da bomb and I wish you could be my teacher forever…not everyone has your gifts! smooches
I visit frequently, but am usually quiet. every visit is a treat, but today was absolutely the best. Especially the grand finale with the video.
****precious****!!!!
Beth
Is there anything more special than the love of a child for the person who inspired them? I think not. Congrats on your new batch of ready 3rd graders.
Big Heart HuGs….loved the singing, the letters, the journals the precious and sweet, qentle ‘big’ love they are giving you. I couldn’t stop smiling over just how special this had to have made you feel. Your heart had to have burst open, just like all those amazing flowers in your garden. This is what it is all about; the releasing all of this into the world, entrusting ‘life’ to such little hands and seeing how far they might go and I for one hope they go very far and never loose the joy.My wish for each and every child.
What a great tribute to you as teacher. I used to teach 6th grade back in the day and would have killed to get such a letter. Well, maybe not killed! It doesn’t surprise me that they appreciate you so much. I took your ROD class and would agree that you’re a great teacher
(My doctor is from Turkey and when I told him that someone I knew was going there, he was so pleased. He said you should read up on the history because so much of what you’ll see is tied to the history.)
This brought tears to my eyes. Your photos and words are just perfect. I used to be a second grade teacher a life time ago… made me remember and smile.
‘We wish you could be our teacher forever’ – what a wonderful compliment to you, Mary Ann.
Next term, more lucky little birds to welcome to your very special nest. But enjoy resting until then!
Loved that the first thing in the letter was how much they like math. Any teacher that can have kids thinking that math and science is fun ROCKS!
lmao…it doesn’t matter what language kids are singing in…it sounds like a bunch of mrmrmrmrmrmmrmr….lol I loved teaching 2nd graders…still fresh and full of wanting to learn and take it all in 😉 Later I taught 5th graders…oh my… ;0 So are you working on your new journals for your trip to Istanbul? Can’t wait to see them! Have a great day, fondly, Roberta
THIS (in bold face font) is your salary. The rest is just money.
Wow, Mary Ann, this is a great tribute to your guidance and facilitation of their learning. I love the comment “You are my queen!” The video is priceless. Yippee — last day of school (I’m in Week 4 of 11 and lovin’ it!)
thanks for sharing this wonderful moment. it reminds when my sister and i used to sings these songs on the bus. i sing them for my son now. have a great day.
see – you are appreciated. I would frame that first one.
OMG – this is making me cry. Wonder what it did to you!?
You have made a difference in someone’s life. What more can you want?