I haven't thought about that song in years. Well, at least one anyway. Sam's teacher, a young, beautiful 20-something (and a truly outstanding 4th grade teacher), had a shirt on with that song title on the front. I think the song is probably older than she is!
Through my daughter's elementary school years and now through my son's (having kids 6 years apart allows for this), I have always taken the last day of school off from work and spent it with them. It's really the last half-day, ending at 12:30pm. And I've always tried to plan something special for them, or at the least fun, for the afternoon.
The morning at the school was awesome. Sam's teacher gave out 3 "President's Education Awards Program" certificates, 2 silver to a girl and a boy that had achieved all A's & B's on every marking period throughout the year, and then a gold certificate to the boy that had achieved all A's... my boy! When the teacher started to explain the award, all the kids started hollering Sam's name. It was pretty cool. I was so, so, SO proud. But... on the way to school, Sam had told me that he hoped to get an award for something other than getting good grades, I said for what, and he said, I don't know, for something like helping out or art. So I looked at him when he stood up to get the certificate (totally forgetting to snap a photo), and I was so proud and wishing so hard that he was happy about it. He was, he looked at me and gave me that big smile. He told me later he saw tears in my eyes, and I think that made him feel real good! And then Sam and his teacher had to reenact the giving of the certificate, complete with handshake, so I could take a picture.
The teachers at our elementary school always give certificates on the last day, one to each and every student. They tailor the "award" to each of their students, and I think the kids know this, but can't wait to see what their teacher considers their big achievement or their characteristic worthy of an award. I just love watching the kids get those awards. Sam's teacher did a great job on the awards. She sat up at the front of the class and picked up 1 certificate at a time, and then explained to the class what the award was about and why the person was receiving it. Sam's was a "Certificate of Recognition for Terrific Writing."
During 3rd grade, Sam's teacher began a much stronger focus on writing composition for the kids. They had to write about experiences they had and other nonfiction story assignments, and they wrote fictional stories of specifically assigned genres. Sam loved writing in 3rd grade, and it carried over into 4th grade. Sam's teacher, when she started explain what became Sam's award, explained to the class that this person has improved so much in their writing, and that this person started out writing so well and that now this person was such a great writer, and that she just loved reading his work, and that the myth that this person wrote is, in her opinion, good enough to be published... and more good stuff. I knew as soon as she said the word "myth" that it was Sam's award, & so did his classmates. Sam was very, very happy with that award. It recognized his creative writing skills, and I think getting recognized for something creative in him was extremely important to him, but having it be for creative writing was Big Time for him.
The "myth" she mentioned was an assignment for all the kids -- they learned what a myth was and what all the components of a myth are, and then they had to make up a myth and write the story of it. Sam worked on his myth drafts for weeks, and then he typed up his final draft. Well, I actually helped him with the typing of it... it was about 8 pages long, and that's a lot of one-fingered typing for a 10-year-old boy. His written draft was close to 20 pages. Sam worked very hard on his myth story, even sometimes when he didn't feel like it, but he wanted to do well on it. His teacher's comments on it made his day. A truly excellent way to end his 4th grade year.
When school let out, most of the teachers and staff stand along each edge of the sidewalk and wave tissues and sing, loudly, "nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, good-bye" over and over as the kids walk through. It's tradition at our school, and it makes for a perfect ending of the school year. I love that tradition!
Then I took my new 5th grader and his buddy, Cody, to a local bowling alley (air-conditioned, thank goodness!) where they bowled for an hour, had lunch, then we played a round of putt-putt golf at their in-door course (which is very nice and has an awesome pirate theme, and complete with waterfall and small stream), wrapping up with about an hour in the arcade room. Topped the afternoon off with an ice cream cone, and Sam had a Wonderful Last Day of School. Me, too.
School's out for Joyce, too... but high school is way different... Her half-day consisted of 2 more final exams and then out to lunch with some girlfriends to "unwind" followed by a short shopping trip. That's my girl!
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