stevenpiziks | Entries tagged with retirement

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Reload page in style: light

In my first year of teaching, I bought a ceramic jar labeled "Ashes of Problem Students," pictured below, and put it on my desk. On the very first day it was there, one of my freshmen accidentally knocked it onto the floor. It shattered.

I looked at the student. He looked at me. Then I reached into my desk, took out a bottle of white glue, and wordlessly handed it to him. He gathered up the shards and spent the class period gluing them back together. When class ended, he gave the jar back to me and left. Neither of us spoke a word.

The student did a startlingly meticulous repair job. You can't even see the cracks unless you look closely at the inside, also pictured below. The jar held loaner pens and pencils for thirty years. Now it's retired from school and sits on my desk at home.

Today was my last day of instruction ever. (Next week we give exams, which is assessment, not instruction.) It was weird. I've taught every lesson for the last time now.

Every year, the first thing I put on the board is the daily schedule. I leave it up until the last day of instruction, which means the dry erase marker has entrenched itself and won't come off unless I use a chemical solvent designed for white boards. Today I sprayed away the daily schedule for the last time.

Ever.