Saying Goodbye

This sounds so final but I promise this post is not as final as it sounds. I just couldn't think of something more clever.

This week I had the opportunity to say goodbye to one of my students. Not goodbye as in they are leaving the school but goodbye from special education. This doesn't happen that much, especially in elementary school. I thoroughly enjoy being able to call parents in for these meetings. This one was especially wonderful. The mother has been wonderful and although we do not have the ability to simply speak to each other, as she speaks Spanish and I do not... we have been able to communicate throughout my three years teaching him.

Now on to my wonderful student. He is in 5th grade but he is the smallest 5th grader in the group. He doesn't let this get in his way. I have watched him learn to speak up for himself and learn how to make sure he is heard. Although he struggles to focus at times, he is able to get his work completed. I love that my friend has learned to stand up for himself and advocate for himself. That is what I have always wanted for him.

I have always wanted to be honest with my students and I was honest this year with my friend that "exited". I told him about 2 weeks ago that I wouldn't be picking him up any more and that he didn't need my help. This didn't mean he was never going to see me or couldn't ask me questions, it just meant that he didn't need me anymore. At first, he was mad that I wasn't going to pick him up. He just looked at me and said "But I still need you." This is one thing that has made it really hard for me this week. But as I sat there in the meeting with his mom, which I let him sit in on (he did his homework at another table), I realized that he would be okay. My friend was going to make it in the real world and didn't need me to hold his hand. He was growing up and had learned the strategies that I had set out to teach him.

This is what special education is about. Being able to look at a 5th grade student who has been in the program since Pre-K and seeing that they now have the skills to make it on their own.

So, with that said, I had to say goodbye to a dear friend this week. It was difficult but it made my job worth it.