A Teacher at the End of the School Year: As Told by Parks & Recreation
This article was written by Brittany Dunham. She has been teaching for 2 years in Virginia as a fourth grade teacher. She considers herself ‘GIFted’ in finding the best gif response for any situation, so she hopes you enjoy her work.
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For a teacher, the end of the school year is a joyous time, but often the most stressful. There are standardized tests, class parties, evaluations, and other loose ends that must be completed all before that bell rings on the last day of school. Though we could all use some of Leslie Knope’s detailed binders and personalized compliments to get us through the mess, we somehow make it happen. Grab some waffles and snake juice and see how Parks & Recreation exemplifies the end of the school year. Knope we can!
1. When you have your evaluation meeting with your principal…
Yes, of course all your lessons did meet Project Based Learning and Personalized Learning requirements. And yes, of course, your attitude was 100% positive all the time. You are a bowl full of sunshine 24/7!
2. The day before a standardized test...
You have prepped for this all year. Every day for the past 67 days, you have told Johnny that 7 x 6 is 42 and yet, he still believes the answer is 36. You have spent hours listening to the same polygon song on repeat so students remember the names of each type.
3. The kids’ behavior during the last month of school…
With all the excitement of field day, class parties, field trips, and the closeness of summer, any sense of order is long gone.
4. Waiting for your test scores…
Did Johnny remember that 6 x 7 is 42? Did Sarah remember the polygon song we spent two weeks singing?
5. When your students did well on the standardized test…
I do not know how you did it Johnny, but you managed to rock the hell out of that test. Sarah, you’re damn right a six sided polygon is a hexagon. You go girl!
6. When you have to do an icebreaker at the final staff meeting…
I'm sure this involves learning something about another person through some embarrassing form of questioning, but... let’s not and say we did?
7. The day after field day…
Is this what the day after a work out feels like? Well, I guess that workout was good enough for the summer.
8. Eating all the junk food at the end of year party…
It’s fine, I worked out on field day.
9. When your friend in the grade below you makes class placements…
So, that one kid you have been complaining to me about at every happy hour… I would really appreciate if you gave that kid to somebody else. Oh, that one student who is perfect in every way, I REALLY think they would excel in my room.
10. Avoiding parent emails once summer starts…
Yes, your child did receive a B in Math during the last quarter. No, I am not going to change it. Oops, my inbox somehow deleted all my e-mails.
11. When the dismissal bell rings on the last day of school...
Bye kids! You’re doing cartwheels down the hallway on the way to the bus?! Sure, go for it! Oh, you are playing a ginormous game of leap frog in the hallway?! Let me join in! THERE ARE NO RULES!
12. Realizing you made it through the school year…
Thanks to our teacher besties, friends, spouses, families, and those much-deserved beverages at the end of a long day dealing with the classroom chaos. To all non-drinkers, maybe your go-to beverage that got you through the year is coffee, tea, or Diet Coke, you fill in the blank!
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