Dear Students,
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to tell you. But here it goes: I am not coming back next year. This decision has nothing to do with you. There’s a city you may have heard of, called New York. I know for many of you, living in the city is your worst nightmare. But for me, living in the city means endless bookshops to explore, an abundance of museums, Broadway shows, and so much more. And New York means being closely involved in the life of my sister and my brother-in-law who I miss immensely.
But the most soul-wrenching thing will be leaving you guys behind. So here is a tribute to you.
To 2nd Hour,
My classroom of students who avoid actually reading at all costs. We have been through so much together. We have followed multiple soap-opera worthy family dramas during share time. We have had countless debates on what words do and do not fall under the category of “offensive.” I have pledged myself to perform the “Griddy” in a desperate effort to convince you to do your work. I will miss being reminded each and every day that I am “your favorite teacher” no matter how disruptive it is to the lesson. I hope that the rest of your high school experience is full of energy drinks, people who tell you they are proud of you, and at least one book you actually enjoy.
To 3rd Hour,
My classroom of students who share each and every minute detail of their day (a practice that inspired the use of a stop-watch during share time). I was inspired by the amount that you all loved reading The Crucible, fighting over reading parts and asking if we could read more plays. I never thought I would need to make an explicit rule banning headlocks, but you guys proved me wrong. My poor trash can will never be the same after the daily abuse it experienced in 3rd hour. I will miss our tangents in any direction except the lesson that I planned. I hope that the rest of your high school career is full of candy, plays (that use swear words), and teachers who listen to your beautiful ramblings.
To 4th Hour,
My classroom of students who are obsessed with any fictional love story, from Marvel movies to the books they are reading, to my own. I never expected to have to sit down with my family and have them change their privacy settings on Facebook so my students wouldn’t glean personal info from their profiles. This year you all grew so much in your love for important stories and perspectives. I am continually inspired by the amount of fierce loyalty you all have for injustices you see in the world. I will miss your regular interrogations about my life and the birthday parties that you throw for me (noisemakers included). I hope the rest of your high school career is full of fruit snacks, corny jokes, and a love for books (and I will try to take a picture with Jordan before I leave).
To 5th Hour,
My classroom of students who love to debrief all their emotions from the day. I will never quite understand this class’s obsession with my lawn-mower dad, who they insist on referring to as Mr. Rogers. I wish I could insert a sound clip of the iconic “Mrs. Boersma” by one of this hour’s most vocal students. You all have a particular gift for making yourself comfortable on the floor while somehow still following along with the rest of the class. I will miss bickering with you guys about ridiculous things that don’t actually matter. I wonder when I will finally get it through your heads that Josh and I are not, and never will be, in love. I hope the rest of your high school career is full of comfy floors, inside jokes with teachers, and the knowledge that emotions are crucial to talk about.
To 6th Hour,
My classroom of students who get so worked up about what’s going on in their lives. It is a constant struggle to convince you that there is a value in reading. But on the days when you get into the reading assignment and start spewing out amazing analysis during Fahrenheit 451, I could cry. Share time is always an emotional rollercoaster, and at least twice a week your comments (about Cenny) make me genuinely laugh so hard. And some days, out of nowhere, you guys will summon the most out-of-pocket compliments. I will do something like sing Beasts of England from Animal Farm, and you will headbang the whole time and tell me my singing “isn’t even that bad.” I hope the rest of your high school career is full of patient teachers who see through to your kind hearts and the occasional book that sparks your interest.
To 7th Hour,
My class of out-of-control emotions, energy, and opinions on the world. Share time is actual insanity with anything from miming motorcycles to debating movies to stories about strange school bus encounters. I appreciate your passion about topics in the world that occasionally lead to impromptu full-class discussions. Thank you for going along with my made-up curriculum, even when it leads to a model-UN that almost sparks an (imaginary) world war. I wouldn’t want to end my day with any other kids exploding salsa on the wall and endlessly bickering. I hope that the rest of your high school career is full of projects that allow you to express your personality and 7th hours that give you space to build relationships and that you are brave enough to join in on debates about the world you live in.
I am not sure what I will do without kids who draw me weird pictures and make fun of me and salute me for my service to the school. I will especially miss the dried mustard on my wall that I can’t scrape off no matter what I try. May it stand forever as a tribute to my time at Carson City-Crystal.
Ms. Boersma
Susannah currently lives in New Jersey and works as a 7th grade ELA teacher in East Harlem. When she is not teaching or writing, she can be found exploring independent bookstores, going backpacking, and trying to roller-skate on all the cool trails in the city. She is also recently experienced in the art of citrus skunk repellent (I know you’re impressed).
