School Day Blues

I’ve got a bit of the blues about school starting…and it’s not for the reason you think. It’s not because summer is over and I have to go back to work. I absolutely love my job and am actually excited about the new year. Even though I’m nervous for Olivia and Gabe to start high school, that’s not why I have the blues either.

I have the blues this year for the same reason I do every year.

My students from last year have gone on to the high school.

They won’t even be in my building anymore, let alone in my room.

And I’m going to miss them like crazy.

My friend Kelley and I had coffee the other day and we honest-to-God got teary talking about and thinking about how the kids won’t be coming back and how much we will miss them. This happens every year. It’s one of the bad parts about teaching 8th grade. It’s one of the reasons I’m ridiculously excited to teach two classes of 7th graders this year because I’ll get to see them one more year before they go.

I spend all day with these lovely humans for 9 months and then they’re gone. They probably have no idea how much they inch their way into my heart over the year. Usually, at some point in the year, they start calling me “Mom” or “Mama T” and I absolutely love it. I truly feel like their Mom during the year. I care about them deeply. I enjoy their personalities, their drama, their conversations, their interests. I enjoy THEM. I may be tired, I may be overwhelmed, but when they walk in, I am happy. It is very hard for me when they leave.

I am lucky enough that many of my students stay in touch. I love seeing them grow up. I love seeing them fall in love, get married, have babies, get their dream jobs. When one of them emails or texts me, it makes my day. The only reason I have Snapchat is so that I can keep in touch with them and see what they’re up to. But it’s not the same as seeing them every day. Not at all.

So every year, around back-to-school time, it really hits me that they won’t be there. And I get the blues. But then I remember that a new crop of students is coming and they will be awesome too. I remember that my heart has plenty of room to grow and love a new bunch. I remember that there are 150 children coming in my room who want to be loved and cherished and cared for and I will be that person for them. And that makes me happy.