It's always bittersweet when a school year ends...I find myself reminiscing about my kids' early school days and even the baby years..lots of emotions running through my heart..usually nostalgia and a huge sense of accomplishment...
This year, though..it has been SO different because I am SO GLAD it's over.
While 4th grade was an amazing year for Olivia, where she flourished in all areas and excelled academically thanks to her incredible teacher who we LOVE (she even got invited to an advanced math program for next year, where she will skip 5th grade math and go straight to 6th grade lessons...yay Olivia!), it was an incredibly "off" year for Gaby who struggled so much with the horrendous teacher she got. My poor child was the victim of one of the WORST teachers we've ever come across and I will never forget this year...sadly because of how bad it was and how much Gaby regressed both academically and socially.
It's hard to explain exactly "why" this teacher was so detrimental to Gaby because there are SO MANY reasons; this person was cold, detached, a poor educator, a person who lacked compassion and empathy and someone who simply (and very obviously) doesn't like children. She very clearly favored certain students (and their mothers) and her work ethic was incredibly poor. Gaby started the year off with certain strengths in many subjects and she basically "lost" those strengths this year due to lack of encouragement and poor guidance. I was amazed at how poorly the school handled all the complaints that were made against this teacher and I certainly hope the administration will increase their expectations regarding teachers and the way things are done in the classroom.
If it wasn't because I love so many things about the girls' school, I would have pulled Gaby out halfway through the year, but something told me we should stick it out and hope for a much better 3rd grade...I must say though, this is probably the last chance I'm giving the school.
So, as this school year ends I am choosing to leave the bad and take the good. I am happy that my girls continue to grow in faith and I am proud of the wonderful young women they are becoming. This year I learned that I am my children's best advocate and that I must always speak up no matter what. I learned that my kids are stronger than I give them credit for and their intelligence never ceases to amaze me. Gaby was able to work through her struggles and was very vocal about overcoming her fears with our support. Olivia learned the importance of true friendships and the value of working hard for what she wishes to achieve.
They are ready to take on 3rd and 5th grade, but first....YAY FOR SUMMER!!!!
