THAT Moment

There is a moment every year that a teacher waits for. THAT moment when a class just gets it. Everything comes together and the teacher thinks to themselves, THIS is why I teach.  Well, I was very fortunate that THAT moment arrived just before Coronavirus precautions shut school down. 

Two weeks before that last day together, I had started reading a book to the class.  It was the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamilio. My most favorite children’s chapter book ever. 

I was worried because it was reading assessment time. They were taking DRA tests and i-ready tests. Was I teaching enough? Were they learning enough?  What else should I be doing to teach them better? I was stressed.

I love reading and I love books and I love characters and so I took out my book and decided to introduce them to Edward. 

From the very first page they were hooked. I saw them leaning in closer even though there were no pictures to look at. They wanted to get closer to the story. 

They were alert, hanging on every word. Picturing the story in their minds. We took notes and wrote  predictions and each day I left off at a cliffhanger moment. They HAD to wait until the next day to find out what happens next. I made a BIG deal about having to read it together - no sneak peeking ahead. I put the book in my purse for recess so no one would be tempted to look at the ending. 

The suspense built.  

 On  March 9th I felt like school would close soon, so I knew we HAD to get through the end of Edward.  The kids wanted more and more of the story.

Thursday It felt like closing would be inevitable and we still had 4 chapters left.  16 pages! 

We decided as a class to finish it.  We sat together for 45 minutes! We read and read.  And as I approached the very last paragraph I looked around at the smiling, eager faces of my students. I knew what was coming. I had read the end 4 years in a row.  I can not ever read that last page without tears. As we got to the end, I read and wept and the students cheered and clapped!! We were SO loud that Ms. Tangredi came running across the hall to see if we were ok. She was worried when she saw my tears and mascara running all over my face. But students assured her we were fine! We were just happy for Edward!   

And I knew.  It was THAT moment. My students go IT!! They were so invested in that book, in that character. Edward had become a part of us.  Part of the 2nd grade experience. No test score can measure it. No reading level could accurately portray it. It’s something you can’t teach, you can’t quantify, you can’t force.  It has to be awakened inside of oneself. 

I do not know what the future holds, if we will go back to school this year. If we will be in a classroom together again. But, I do know my school kids are going to be ok.  They get it! They are critical thinkers and lifelong learners.

They are amazing! I am so proud of them! I will cherish THAT moment as I plan online lesson for them and picture them reading as we continue with our New Normal.