zella said purple: today I'm going yesterday

where are YOU headed? summer? adventure? new, great things?

Some of you know that I have been on a sort of sabbatical this year. I had had surgery last year on my ankle and it was not up for the demands that working with young children requires - up, down, criss-cross, dash, squat, and sitting in 12 inch height chairs.

So, ironically, with a push from a colleague, I started Zella Said Purple to give me an outlet, a place to shove my brain and create and think and share about my journey thus far as an early childhood educator.

So, ironically, BECAUSE OF the blog, an opportunity came to me to teach a college level course on integrated curriculum at one of our state colleges. And, I am thrilled that they asked me to teach again this fall.

Ok, so, I couldn't quite teach young children due to some of the physical demands, but I COULD teach college students. I was pleased to be in the classroom again this term, January to end of May, yet the classroom - of course - wasn't quite the same.

However, in the end, I had the same feelings (well, pretty close) that I have at the end of a "regular" school year with young children. That feeling you get of knowing you will miss these particular students and knowing that this group will never form the same again. A bittersweet feeling and one of the reasons that I love being part of SCHOOL, EDUCATION, TEACHING so much:
The butterflies in September as you take a deep breath to start yet another school year...the "this is the longest month ever" feeling in March...the melancholic feeling that hits you somewhere in May when you or the students start counting down the days til The Last Day of School.
Sigh.

Usually, at the end of the school year, my class would have a big celebration with families to present the children their large binder portfolios - full of their self-directed work - over-filled and over-flowing. They would also have a photo memory book (maybe via iPhoto or Shutterfly) of classroom events, routines, celebrations - all photos, no captions. The portfolio binder and the photo book would contain one page from the teachers, this poem by Jack Prelutsky, because it says it all and so much better than I could ever articulate. Perhaps YOU would like to use it, also, as you wrap up your year...

TODAY I'M GOING YESTERDAY

Today I'm going yesterday as quickly as I can,

I'm confident I'll do it, I've devised a clever plan,

it involves my running backward at a constant rate of speed,

if I'm mindful of my timing I'll undoubtedly succeed.

Today I'm going yesterday I'm moving very fast,

as I'm putting off the future for the rather recent past,

I can feel the pressure fading as I hastily depart,

and look forward to arriving on the day before I start.

Today I'm going yesterday I'm slipping out of sight,

and anticipate I'll vanish just a bit before tonight,

when I reach my destination, I'll compose a note to say,