Well the big day has finally arrived! During the weeks leading up to this event, I found myself transform back into the whiney student I once was and now find myself surrounded by in the Middle School. While I try to tell myself that the pleas I am bombarding Nancy with are all in good fun, “can we move this back a week?”, “do I really need to complete all 10 standards?”, “this is so hard!!”, the truth was slowly revealed. As the day drew closer, my jittery nerves began to become more prevalent. Instead of the calming sensation of realizing that I knew exactly what I needed to prepare because I had jumped in to so many challenges and opportunities throughout the year, amply preparing me for this day, the fact that it was coming to an end had taken over.
I had spent hours filtering through the Community School Facebook page and numerous blogs that highlighted our endeavors, uncovering photos from the year full of smiling faces. All of the unforgettable memories were flooding back, leaving me with a smile and countless emotions. Compiling the memories into a fluid trail of thought, guiding my mind from activity to activity, highlighting all that I have learned proved to be overwhelming. The sheer quantity of experiences and lessons that have been ingrained in my evolving life provided me with plenty of talking points and ideas for my 15 minute speech. As the minutes ticked away and I was preparing myself for the moment of truth, my nerves were suddenly quenched by the most untimely bloody nose. I could hear my name being called from across the hall, and I had no choice except to rely on Nancy the energetic, who started dancing around the room, stalling the audience while I did my best to refocus as quickly as possible. Unexpectedly, the process of standing in front of familiar faces took a stranglehold over me, leaving me on the verge of shaking. While I knew what I wanted to talk about, it hit me halfway through my speech...how can I give this incredible experience justice in 15 minutes? Talking came easy, the words were flowing out, the biggest battle was with the hot room and the uncontrollably dry mouth, which I could only subdue with moments of levity and embarrassing pictures. I had made it through by highlighting the key moments from the year that had caused me to metamorphose into the educator I am today.
Reflecting on what I had said, several key points that I had missed stood out in my mind. This year was made easy and I found my successes thanks to the incredibly supportive team I found myself surrounded by day in and day out. My mentor, Scott, was ALWAYS there to act as a soundboard for my pre-class lesson planning, he was able to offer advice and ideas immediately after class for how I could improve my delivery, and gratify me with compliments each time I had successes or simply reached the student who was struggling. I felt comfortable discussing students and my class direction with Naomi, who faced similar challenges with the same group of students, opening my eyes to novel approaches I could apply on my side of the divider. The thing that has stood out in this amazing community of faculty is the willingness to support each other. Not only could I easily get advice from the 8th grade team, but any teacher in any department and division was there to listen and shed light on either a particular student or type of student. I found myself grateful that the Middle School is not equipped with a brewing coffee maker, because every time I stepped foot in the Elementary School or Upper School I found myself immersed in conversation with someone new, both staff and students. The entire community provides everyone with support and anecdotes. The joke with the interns is that we are tossed into so many roles, filling gaps wherever we are needed, but the truth is we are provided with the opportunity to experience such a vast array of elements that make Community School such an incredible place.
Thinking back on the year and towards the future, I offer the following answers to future interns: Is the year going to be non-stop? Yes! Will I be asked to step out of my comfort zone and wear countless hats? Absolutely, but this is what makes Community School such a successful place to prepare you for the challenges ahead, enables you to connect so well with so many students, and provides you with the unforgettable experiences and memories. Will I face challenges? No doubt, but the biggest challenge will be saying goodbye. Would I do it over again? I wouldn’t give it up for anything!
While I managed to get through my speech without saying many heartfelt thank yous and goodbyes, I am excited for the final two weeks, to enjoy the moments I have left with the faculty and the students, instead of wallowing in thought of it coming to an end. The good-byes can be saved for another day, but I know that when it is all said and done I will stay in touch with so many members of the community and continue to cherish the journey we have taken together.
