Goodbye Seniors

I am finishing the last days of the best three year span of my teaching career. I honestly don't know if I will ever be this sad to see a group of kids go again. I feel like I have always gotten to know my students well, but this is the first year that I have had a group of students that I have taught since they were sophomores graduate. When I started teaching calculus, I asked to be able to go through and teach the pre-requisite courses so I could really know where they were coming from mathematically. Well, two years ago I was allowed to teach 2 sections of Advanced Algebra 2 and I met a group of kids that I will never forget. On Monday, that group will be graduating and moving on to GREAT things and I couldn't be prouder.

This group has done more mathematically than any 3 classes combined in the history of Millville, but that isn't why I'm going to miss them. I've spent the required 85 minutes a day, plus a LOT of extra time with these students the last 3 years and have gotten to know them very well. I have watched them grow up and make decisions on their futures and laugh and cry and fight and get in trouble and receive awards and win and lose and everything else imaginable. We have shared comments and stories that traditional authorities on education would say are unacceptable, but not only do I not care, I think those people are wrong. I feel like I have 20 younger brothers and sisters graduating on Monday and they are ready for anything.

There are several students in this group that I have only taught for 1 or 2 years and I still feel like we have bonded. I don't know if it is the fact that I have gotten to know so many of their classmates that we get along so well or what, but I will miss them too.

I know that the persona students see in the classroom isn't always the most caring, but I put on the show that I feel works best for the people in front of me. I do everything I can to get each student to perform to the best of their abilities. I feel like you guys not only met my expectations, but blew them away.

For those of you that wrote me letters at the end of the year: I read them all a couple of times, I appreciate every word, and I will keep them forever.

For all of you: You're awesome...Send me pennants...spend your millions wisely!

Barber