Party Time!

The end of the school year is here. As a teacher that means four more days of work, then a day or two of free work that I have to give because I am too busy with Chorus to devote all my time to finsihing up on time.

I am a little different than most teachers. I don’t keep their nose to the grindstone ‘till the end. Throughout the year I give more homework than most teachers, and almost the most of any teacher in the school, and by the end of the year I also require an important written report to be turned in with one week of school left. This year the report had three parts: our state’s Geography, History, and what is happening in our State Today. But when it’s time to say goodbye for the summer, I want to spend some time having fun, so our class parties.

I pour soda pop for kids until they have to go to the bathroom with burstin’ bladders. We eat pizza that generous parents donate. Parents volunteer supplies for a strawberry shortcake party and an ice cream party. We dance, we do the Limbo, we play class games such as “Heads Up Seven Up,” “Murder,” Ghosts in the Graveyard,” “Magic Circle,” “Almost Kissing,” “Musical Chairs,” “Musical Mystery Boxes,” etc. We play lots of competitive party games that involve relay races to pop balloons by sitting on them, bobbing for apples, bustin’ piñatas, and more games than I can mention. It is two and a half days of exhausting fun. Then we sit still, pass out report cards, make speeches, and say goodbye to each other.

I have never had a parent complain about lost academic time, and I have never had an administrator question me more than once about it. We invite the principal and the parents, and the parents bring cameras and camcorders and enjoy themselves as much as the kids…….almost. The kids have never complained either. I send them off with a real fine memory of school.

It’s Almost Party Time!!