Vale, Avis Tenebrica  − 2 June, 2008

or, Bye Bye, Blackbird

or, Farewell, Bird of Shadows

Today was the last full day of the school year.

There is one group that deserves special mention.

I don't know why, but this year I really developed a rapport with my 6th period, 6th grade science class.  They were just genuine fun to be around.  In other teacher's classes, most of them were apparently quite aggravating.  Not in mine.  They handled any project I gave them, and usually did a far better job than any other period.  Even when all the rest of the classes were having problems, 6th period was always a joy.

Yes, they were loud.  But I ignored that: I only wanted results.  Their projects and presentations were always above and beyond what I had asked of them.

And here's the final proof. Look, below, at the incredible poster they made me.

They'd been planning it ever since I told them I was moving.  The photos you see, they took in secret -- they wanted to surprise me.  Actually, they've been with me long enough to notice that once I'm explaining things, I don't notice much of anything in the real world.  I'm off in ideaspace . . . the same place you go when you're talking on the phone, the place you visit any time you read a novel.  I've often said, when I'm talking science, someone could come in dressed in a clown suit and wearing a turkey on their head and I wouldn't notice. So a few pictures?  Forgetaboutit.

They finished the year right -- they put their farewell wishes in the form of a presentation, exactly as I'd taught them.  They even divided up the work and gave proper credit for each person's contribution.  For me, it was a proud moment.  It's one thing to teach someone a skill -- it's quite another to suddenly see that skill applied to something they consider important.  In that way, it was probably more thanks than they would even believe.

The blackbird quote above has a long history, which I'm not going into.  Basically, it's a reference to the end of things, to the soul leaving the body, to the passage from dark to light, to the lifting of a long depression, to the passing of the Mesektet Boat across the ocean of the night.  Today, all of those things are true.  But they've made me a map for my journey.

Comments:

peahayes (June 3, 2008. 01:52am)

What a wonderful sendoff!

edunn (June 3, 2008. 03:25am)

It sounds like one of those classes that makes the kids excited about things. I have such admiration for teachers. Not to mention such a fabulous one.