Only 8 more days?

I really hate the end of the school year!  Yes, like probably every teacher, I am looking forward to my summer break.  The thought of leisurely mornings drinking my coffee poolside and time to sew and the anticipation of trips to see family and friends is very appealing, but it's what I have to get through in the next 8 days that makes me crazy!
At a time when I would really like to be just enjoying my class and having fun with them for a few more days, I am instead doing Fountas and Pinnell reading assessments (due today!), grouping cards (due today!), putting together our Celebration of Learning (next Friday) packets, binding our weekend writing into a book for Celebration of Learning and still trying to take a few grades so I can submit for final report cards by next Wednesday.  My poor kids have done more "busy work" this past week than they have all year! This is also the time when I start having regrets about things I haven't done- why didn't I ever do that cute camping unit?- and worry about what I have done- do my kids REALLY understand all of the fact fluency strategies I've taught?  Oh, and I forgot the last minute request to make a picture frame for the volunteer luncheon that I had to redo because we wrote our names going the wrong way! To make this crazy week even more special, the air conditioning at our school malfunctioned and we  spent several days sweltering in our sauna-like classrooms.  Of course this happened the week the weather decided it was time for typical Texas temperatures instead of the pleasant spring days we had been experiencing!
Another reason why I dislike the end of the year is packing up my classroom.  Some years it's relatively easy; just shove things in cupboards and stack boxes and shelves on the countertop.  I always say I'm going to organize as I pack, but it never really happens.  But our classrooms are being repainted this summer so everything has to be taken off the walls and nothing can be stored on the countertop.  Add in the fact that I am a packrat and not the most organized person and you get a totally stressed-out teacher.  ( I have a stress test scheduled for June 10.  I'm pretty sure I'll pass!)

I need to find a summer home for EVERYTHING on the counter!

Part of my problem is that deadlines make me nervous, and there is no bigger deadline like the last day of school!  But I know as soon as I cross some of the paperwork and chores off my list, I will have a wonderful last few days of school with my sweet little class!

Looking ahead:  I just signed up to host a chapter for an online book study of Building Mathematical Comprehension by Laney Sammons.  Head over to Amazon to get your copy, and then check out Brenda and Beth's blogs for more info.

Beth

Brenda

Enjoy your last days with your class (or those first days of summer for all of you who are already finished!)