The Last Time

Day 30 of #btbc16
The Last Time

     A friend of mine, +Kathy Ross, posted this on Facebook the other day, and it brought tears to my eyes.  As a Mom, I have already had some of the "last times" that the poem mentions.  In some of those moments, I was aware that they would most likely be the last time, probably because I have held on to these moments a little longer than most.  Friends have teased me for delaying next steps to my own kids' independence.  Don't even ask how long I kept them in the baby bath tub... My kids have always been on the small side, so I guess that has helped me keep them little.  There is this fine line between wanting them to learn to be independent, and them needing you when you are a mom.  You want both, and time flies.

     As a teacher, sometimes I think we forget to look at those "last times" when we look at our students' growth over the course of the year.  It is easy to talk about the things that they can't do in the moment.  Maybe it would help us to remember the things that we used to do, and no longer do because our students don't need the scaffold anymore.  The beginning of the year is coming, and the "first times" will be happening.  With our students, we only get a year to measure their growth.  But, there will be some "last times" too.  With responsive teaching and student goal setting, our students gain their independence and apply what we teach them.  

     As the year starts, I challenge you to allow your students to reach independence.  Don't be a helicopter teacher.  :)  Let them grow and reach new levels of self directed learning.  Just don't forget to notice those "last times" from time to time.  And, don't worry, unlike parenthood, the year will start all over again in a year.  Teachers get to repeat history each year.  Parents don't have that opportunity.

     As a parent, try to enjoy the journey.  It goes too fast, and it matters.