What You Leave Behind
by Jaime Castle
The last week of school can be bittersweet for many. Teachers, students, and families are preparing to transition to whatever comes next, wrapping up the current school year. For some, summer is a just a break from the school routines and they know that when they return, their friends and the familiar will be there. For some, they will not be returning for various reasons: graduation, changing schools, retiring, moving. It can be hard to say goodbye while still navigating the whirlwind that is the end-of-the-year mayhem.
For the past school year, I have been teaching at a very special school called Leaves of Learning. My classes focus on literature and writing, and the students range in age from 12-18. The class sizes are small, ranging in size from 8-14 students per class, which allows for a lot more time and focus for each child. The children have a range of backgrounds and learning abilities and the school is whole child centered as the culture of the school is based on respect and kindness towards each other. These teens are just like many of their mainstream school peers – silly, clever, sweet, moody, opinionated, stubborn, curious, scared, loving.
I have thoroughly loved my last school year and the time that I have spent with them, but I will be moving on after this year as I pivot toward a full-time job. It is very bittersweet. I think back to all of the students that I have taught throughout the years, and I remember how important each one has been to me. It is the nature of the job that these kids keep moving forward and they grow up. It is my hope that as they go off into the world, that I have left a small impression on them, that they feel cared about, and that they know that I believe in their potential. So many have made an impression on me as well.
Mia, one of my seniors this year is a mellow, cool, smart girl with fantastic handwriting and a propensity to doodle cats on her work. I keep a bowl of candy on my desk, and I remember early on this year, I kept finding Dum-Dums lollipop wrapper hearts all around my classroom. One would show up in the pencil bin, several on my desk, one in a plant pot. It turns out that Mia has at least one origami trick – making hearts – making hearts that she leaves behind. I love this about her, it’s such a simple thing but it’s so symbolically beautiful! She literally leaves behind tokens of love for folks to find.
It is a hope for many to leave the place a better world than the one that we started with. I think as we come and go through different places and roles in life, we can be leaving behind all sorts of good things for people to remember us by. We should be mindful of what we leave behind as we move forward, just as much as we think about what and who we take along with us. I’m going to savor this last week with these amazing young souls and I’m going to leave behind in their hearts my love and best wishes as they move forward!
Congratulations to the Class of 2024 and try to make this world an even better place! We believe in you!
Image source: courtesy of Jaime Castle