In just a few short days I will be closing the door of my office at school for the last time. Saying goodbye to a place where I have taught, learned, laughed, cried, and made longtime friends for the past twenty years is not easy, to say the least. One thing I knew I would need to do before I left was to reduce my collection of professional books and picture books. I will still use many of the books in my work with teachers, but there are just as many others that could better be used in a classroom. So part of my ritual of saying goodbye began with the task of deciding which books I should part with.
I began with the professional books. My tried and true mentors remain on my shelves, but there are many that I knew I could pass along to other teachers. As I touched every book and took it off my shelf, I remembered what I learned from within the pages, and I realized how important those books were to helping me grow as a professional. I placed the books in the faculty room at school and within a matter of hours they were gone. I know that they are all in good hands and will help others as they helped me. I hope they will also serve to remind teachers of the importance of continued personal professional development.
Sorting through the picture books was a little harder, but I did manage to part with several large tubs. I have a stack of about twenty new ones waiting for a spot, so I had to make room! That’s the great thing about books – there are always wonderful new ones to discover and fall in love with! One of my colleagues told me that she loved the fact that my name was in each one. As she shared them with her class, she told them how important it was to remember what made them special - that they were my treasures that I wanted to share with all of them.
The last few weeks have been bittersweet, but saying goodbye by sharing my books has been comforting. They will continue to bring joy, knowledge, and understanding to a whole new group of teachers and children.
I began with the professional books. My tried and true mentors remain on my shelves, but there are many that I knew I could pass along to other teachers. As I touched every book and took it off my shelf, I remembered what I learned from within the pages, and I realized how important those books were to helping me grow as a professional. I placed the books in the faculty room at school and within a matter of hours they were gone. I know that they are all in good hands and will help others as they helped me. I hope they will also serve to remind teachers of the importance of continued personal professional development.
Sorting through the picture books was a little harder, but I did manage to part with several large tubs. I have a stack of about twenty new ones waiting for a spot, so I had to make room! That’s the great thing about books – there are always wonderful new ones to discover and fall in love with! One of my colleagues told me that she loved the fact that my name was in each one. As she shared them with her class, she told them how important it was to remember what made them special - that they were my treasures that I wanted to share with all of them.
The last few weeks have been bittersweet, but saying goodbye by sharing my books has been comforting. They will continue to bring joy, knowledge, and understanding to a whole new group of teachers and children.
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