Highlights of the School Year

Ryan Crawley

There’s the old saying that a person may forget what you said, but will never forget how you made them feel. This quote corresponds intricately for the relationship between teachers and their students. It’s strange how some of the most memorable days of the school year have nothing to do with learning in the classroom. Throw all the textbooks out the window during these special days of the school year listed below. Students won’t be becoming book smart on these noteworthy days, instead, they will be learning life skills to use throughout the rest of their lives.

First Day of School
Students are never again as quiet as they are on the first day of school. They are a bit nervous, trying to gauge how much homework they may have during the year. But they are also practicing one of life’s main skills. Students are learning how to size someone up properly. They are laying low and waiting for any signs that a teacher may give that will provide them important information for later on.

As an Education major, you always hear in your classes how you are not to smile at a kid until the second half of the school year. If you grin at the wrong one, they are going to eat you alive. The first day of the school year, I would guess, is sort of like a first day in prison. You don’t want to come off too nice, and then have to constantly look over your shoulder the rest of your time.

School Picture Day
I’m not sure if I am in favor of school uniforms, but when my students dress up for their school picture, they actually behave better. Primary students show up all decked out. The boys wear more expensive suits than I own, and the girls are in stylish dresses that you might see out of a fashion magazine. They learn that when you dress nicely, your behavior should correspond appropriately. It’s a good lesson to learn early in life.

Grandparents Day
Grandparents day is one of my least favorites during the year. The grandparents show up at the school at like 7am because they wake up very early. I don't even get to the school until 8AM! Also, because the senior citizens are there, I now have twice as many people trying to tell me pointless stories that go on forever. (The grandparents and the students.)

Trying to walk through the hallways on this day is almost impossible. It reminds me of the movie Night of the Living Dead, but I believe those zombies actually moved a bit quicker. Strangely enough, as I try to maneuver around them, I avoid eye contact and any quick movements, too. I say this all very lovingly though, since my own parents are both around 80 now.

The talent the students are acquiring this day, though, is respecting their elders. Even if their own grandparents are not able to make it, they still know to show respect to the ones that do. I’ve had more than one kid every year quietly tell me they are quite scared of the old people, then ask what they should do. I tell them to quietly listen halfway and nod their head while picturing themselves in a happy place, just like I do with them.

Teacher Appreciation Week
This week of school lets students and their parents show how much they value you as their child’s mentor and educator. That’s what Teacher Appreciation Week is said to be about, however I think it is more of an opportunity for families to give their teacher things that they couldn’t sell at their last garage sale. I am usually shown I am appreciated by receiving plastic flowers, a bag of M&Ms, and a drawing of some sort that is covered in maple syrup.

Last Day of School
Spending a school year teaching challenging students tends to leave an almost unbreakable bond between the teacher and his or her pupils. It is probably similar to surviving a war together. A lifelong relationship is formed, and after a bit of time, only the good memories remain.

Finally, it is okay to smile, ease up on some of the worst behaving students, and know that you have done your best. Students finally appreciate you during the last day of school. They say they wish you would teach them next year as well. Of course, the teacher lies then, too, and proclaims they wish they could teach them all for another year. The kids are learning their final lesson of the school year, and one of the most important. Don’t ever burn bridges, even if you are sure you will never cross them again.

Ryan Crawley is a writer/educator from Illinois. Born into a family of eleven, he spent most of his childhood watching old reruns of Three's Company and Happy Days. He has his Masters in Reading and Literacy, and is a certified Reading Specialist. He spends his free time writing, working out, and hanging with his two dogs Flair and Smoosh Face.