Hmmm... 5 days since the last post, and I do admit, it was a lame one. Ten months of no time, no life, no energy, no social life, no daylight or sunshine (until the days get longer again)...

But, chances are I will not have a 4/5 past tomorrow, it looks like we'll be able to reoganize and swing a straight 4 and a straight 5.... So next week, if all goes well, I will be a grade 5 teacher! I am glad because it means I will not have three big problem children plus two chatty ones all together. I am glad because it means sticking to a single curriculum and grade level. I am glad because most of the grade 5's in my class so far are very nice children (most, not all, but still... most is pretty good!). I am glad because the other grade 5 teachers (they job share) are very nice and seem very willing to share ideas and units.

But I will miss many of these grade 4's, and it seems they are very sad to be leaving my class. Many of them (and their parents) have been telling me how much they have enjoyed being in my class even for only two weeks. And they are consoling themselves with the fact that if I take the grade 5 class, that means I will have their children as students next year!

It is an amazing complement to get such praise so soon. Last year the same thing happened, and I kept waiting for the parents to really get to know me and for all that good feeling to evaporate as reality set in. But the year came and went, and - other than a few small wrinkles now and then - I ended up leaving behind a devoted fan club! Not only did they rally up to try and get me to stay on there (I was laid off, rehired, and then bumped), but they helped me pack and move all my stuff to the new school, kept in touch over the summer, and so publicised their praise of me to their friends that the PAC chair (Parent Advisory Council) of the school where I am this year told me that her son cried when he found out he was not going to have the "cool teacher from Tennyson"!!

Well, I only hope I can live up to the legend these people have created... might turn out to be even harder than to live down a bad rep!