My daughter's last day of school was today. Her teacher has been there for the children in many ways through the distanced learning, caring, talking to them on their class calls, answering questions, and doing everything a teacher does, only with the challenge of having to do it through a screen.
My daughter and her teacher got off to a rocky start at the beginning of the school year. My daughter was having meltdowns every day, multiple times some days that were bad. Her teacher was doing what she could to help, but it was disruptive to the class and there was only so much she could do.
We didn't realize until later after we had addressed my daughter's depression and anxiety. Only then, when we had a teacher conference, did we realize how hard it had been on her teacher. Her teacher never said that, but after hearing what she'd been doing I can only imagine it had to be hard, especially seeing a child in distress in her class who was also being angry towards her classmates and acting out in other ways.
The school year got better but my daughter never fully got over how she was sent to the quiet space in their classroom (where there was a bean bag and stuffed animals to hold) as well as the firm words her teacher had to use with her when she was hateful towards her friends, pushing everyone away. There was a time she was sent to another teacher's classroom as a last-ditch effort, to see if that would have some traction with my daughter. In the end, we needed to address her internal turmoil about her blindness before she improved.
This last week her teacher said many things to the students. Every daily video you could tell she was growing sad that it was her last days with the students in her class. Today, she asked for a special thing from parents who were okay with it: she would bring by a bag with things for each student from her.
We were last on the list because we're the furthest away but we waited for her with my daughter in her favorite tree in the front yard. When she arrived she had her mask on but my daughter went up to her and hugged her. Then her teacher got down on the concrete with her and told her about all the things in the bag.
She had framed a page with a cloud bubble of words on it from her friends. We did this for all of my daughter's friends: one adjective to describe them. She had had her braillest make braille words for every one of the printed ones and had put them all in the right places on the page on top of the glass so she could read it.
There was a stress ball from her husband (which my daughter loved) and a water bottle she had carefully written my daughter's name on. Plus, there was a special book that was her favorite. She got each student this book but had then asked Mrs. B. to be sure we had a copy we could get to her in braille. Just before she arrived I got an email from Mrs. B. with the book not only in a format I could print ourselves but also in a second format I could put onto the Orbit refreshable braille display that would use zero paper and be more environmentally friendly.
My daughter sat on the ground and was incredibly kind in her words. Her teacher brushed some hair behind my daughter's ear several times and I could just see how much she really cared about her and how this was the last day, the last student and then they were all gone.
I didn't rush them, letting them talk about what was happening and what they were going to do this summer. I stood back on the porch and listened to her teacher tell her she was so excited when she got her Flat Mrs. Baker project in from my daughter that she sent it to the principal and vice-principal.
In the end, it was time to go. We waved goodbye and then school was officially over. We are going to miss our teachers, seeing them on the computer screen each week. But I know everyone, students including, are going to be glad to be back at school.
The Big Boy Update: My son has an unexpected adventure today: he's at Nana and Papa's house for an overnight visit. My in-laws came masked to take him away and are remaining safe, but masks or not, my son was very excited to be going to spend the night with his grandparents tonight.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: My daughter's teacher asked her if she wanted to be back in school or if she liked school at home. I'd never asked her that question before. She said she wanted to be back at school because school was boring at home. She also said she missed her friends. We know they do. We all miss our friends these days which will hopefully be over soon.
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