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Sunday, June 26, 2011

Kindergarten Graduation

I resisted the whole Kindergarten Graduation thing. I really did. But my beloved classroom assistant was so keen to create a "mortarboard" out of bristol board, that I just had to let her do it. I took photos of each of my little munchkins wearing this silly hat, and framed them as a memento of their years in my class. And guess what? I have to agree...this picture of Jude is SO CUTE!


I've hand-stamped tags to tie onto their little "diplomas", and baked 5 dozen cupcakes (there will be guests attending, you know!), including gluten free ones for Jude. My classroom assistant, Crystal, has been hard at work creating a slideshow of photos from the past two years, to the song "See You On the Moon" by the Great Lake Swimmers.

Each child created a Wise Owl by wrapping strands of cotton balls tightly around a pinecone, then adding pinecone-with-googlies eyes, a little paper beak, and some feather eyebrows and wings.

And then my assistant got into the game. She wanted more graduation hats...these ones made by painting the cup part from an egg carton, and adding a little square of bristol board. This has become a bit of a schtick with us:

I resist, she persists, I give in, she puts on the damn hats, then I have to concur: they're adorable.
Seriously!

I'll be in tears by the time everyone is seated. It happens every year. While I celebrate the many, many accomplishments these children have made in their two years with me, and marvel at the miracle of child development, I am reluctant to let them go. In a few years, they'll barely acknowledge me in the halls, which is as it should be. But I do love them so, and will miss their bright little faces: pigtails, missing teeth, freckles, tears, and the promise of all the years ahead of them. Have I mentioned that I have the best job in the world?

6 comments:

  1. You are right, that is the best job ever. I love little kids too; at the moment I have two toddlers and four or five elementary school kids to look after regularly and they bring such joy to me that it’s indescribable.

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  2. We just had our JK/SK graduation last week and it was great. As a parent I absolutely adored the little gowns and hats they all wore and was thrilled with a slide show that gave parents a little glimpse into their days away from home. We had a class of 26 kids and 80 people attended the graduation. They asked each child what they wanted to be when they grow up and mine said 'kindergarten teacher' which I am perfectly fine with!

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  3. That is really really sweet. They are lucky to have you in their lives for the first school years.
    And soon summer will really begin.

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  4. Have I mentioned before how proud I am of you? Yes- I know you are an adult but you are my little sister and I love what you have become!
    You are the best kind of kindergarten teacher. So blessed are those little souls to have had you. If somehow in all the excitement, no parents thank you for your hard work in presenting this graduation- know that I appreciate what you put into it!

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  5. It does sound like the best job, and we're so grateful for all you wonderful teachers out there!

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  6. My daughter has her graduation from SK tomorrow. I am already crying...

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