The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Yesterday was my last day of school. This whole week I was giving final exams, two classrooms per day. As a result, it turned out to be a fairly relaxing last week. I gave the kids an open note, group test, which meant I eliminated most ways they cheat. So they were happy cause it made for collaboration, and I was happy because I could read during the test and didn’t have to be the bad guy.

But also throughout this week, I’ve had many students approach me to ask just about anything. They’ve been students from this year finishing up, and students from last year saying hello. But somehow the topic of my very finite amount of time left in Nametil has arisen on several occasions.

It usually starts with me saying that I have 3 weeks left here. Then they ask if I’m returning or if I’m leaving leaving. After we iron out that I’m leaving leaving, and that I’m not going straight back to the states, they usually say I have to come back.

Students have told me that I need to come back so I can keep teaching them chemistry. They’ve told me that I have to come visit. I certainly cannot come back to continue teaching, and though I hope I can visit, there is no guarantee that I can. But one student in particular asked me not to forget Nametil, or my students that I’ve had here.

That is something that I can promise. Sure, I might not remember all of my students (let’s be honest, I don’t know all of my current students’ names), but I will remember some. I won’t ever be able to forget the time I spent in those 8 classrooms in the past two years. For the truly memorable kids, I remember which classrooms they were in, and even where they tended to sit. There will come a day when the names and faces begin to fade and melt together, but I’ll still remember those kids.

I’ve surprised several of my now 9^th graders this year by remembering their names. I won’t easily forget them. Sometimes you just have to notice things.