Ahhhhhhhhhh..........

The end of the semester is here. I thought it would never get here. With extra days added to the semester to make up for our snow days, it seemed to drag on and that too much had to get crammed in. But I survived. And most of my students did as well. I worked so hard trying to get failing or almost failing students to pass. Some took me up on the offer, others did not. Grace is not always accepted, I'll do my best to keep offering. One student in particular comes to mind. She had given up on passing just before Winter break. She didn't do many assignments and acted as if the whole world was against her. I've tried to talk with her a couple different times this week about a two week credit recovery option to make up assignments and tests needed to gain credit. She didn't really seem interested. Today though, as she turned in her final, I asked her one last time. She bit and accepted the offer. I wanted her to know that I hadn't given up. This is grace I am probably not supposed to offer. She has a 46%. I told her that if she could complete her missing work and pass the two tests I'd pass her, not give a letter grade, but a P. Another student wanted the same option, but I couldn't offer it. He just had too many missing assignments and the tests on top of it with only a 40%. The girl on the other hand has a fighting chance. She could reasonably reach 60% with what she needs to accomplish, I really believe the boy could not. It was a difficult choice. One I really do not like about teaching. Who passes, who fails, who gets the last chance at redemption.
So, I pick up my son who had been testing for the districts highly capable program at a different school, go to the Y and RAN. I tried to run hard, to let these end of semester woes go. I wanted to be tired. I had a hard time sleeping last night because of all the stress, and I want to sleep tonight. I made it for 30 minutes, then had to find the bikes and bike hard. I forgot the i pod and I just can't handle the indoor track for much longer than a half hour without it.
I had another awesome run this week that I really didn't want to do, but my husband pushed me out the door. I was having a hard time Tuesday with all the students who needed to make up tests and just weren't coming in to do it and to top it off I needed to buy gas and pick up a movie and I left my purse at school. Paul volunteered to go get gas for me, pick up the movie and get our son, so that I could go for a run and let go of the stress. It turned out to be one of those really great runs, where you feel you could go on forever. I left the house at about 4:45pm, it was just about 50 degrees , warm for lately, so I wore shorts. I headed out on my hill run near my house. It was crystal clear, the sun was beginning to set and the sky was a magnificent shade of pink and Orange, fading to blue. Mt. Rainier was covered in pink alpine glow and a spectacular sight. I wanted to go and go and go. Paul and the kids passed me as I was headed on my last leg before home. It was now getting fairly dark. I hated to go in but it was cold now. I had to go back to reality. That's what I wanted to feel today as I ran. Same weather, but I has my son so I had to stay inside at the Y. Not quite the same effect, but it felt good to go hard. I get to rest tomorrow somewhat. There will be no students at school. I have to turn in my grades, move classrooms and get ready for new classes of students and 2nd semester. I am looking forward to the Pigtails run on Saturday to again, let it all out and hopefully feel strong enough to meet a new challenge...the ultra marathon.
So, do i feel the end of the semester ended positively? For the most part. I had more failures than I would prefer, but I do feel that I put in a valiant effort to help those kids. Next time, I'll need to make some changes. I know. As I run, I'll pray, I'll reflect, I'll be renewed and ready to begin again, Monday.

Grace and peace to you.