Testing the teacher.

   Seeing many students load up in two vehicles and drive off again today for a sports event lowered my spirits.  On my schedule of 3rd & 4th one day and 5th & 6th the next day, today was my day for 5th and 6th.  The sixth graders who left were the best students.  That meant I would not have them in class for the final time.  I've been teaching them since they were 3rd graders.
   Deciding to make the best of the situation I put the remaining 6th graders through the paces of what we've been working on.  It became a bit of a test of my teaching and the results were humbling.  They had learned some but not nearly as much as I had hoped.  It was clear that they had just followed the better students with out absorbing very much.
    The upside of the situation was that I had a delightful hour with them when I was able to attend to them on their level.  I hope I have done them some good.  They have not done very well in the other subjects either.

My, grade 5.

5th grade.