and gave fourth graders

word search advice

in an evergreen Lake Forest Park classroom,

I knew one thing was real:

I fell in love with you.

A love so deep I gave you my all–

From my creativity and money

To my loneliness and energy.

As a twenty-something

deeply in love with you,

I never saw the endless standards,

stacks of papers to grade,

or hours of lost sleep.

I only saw students

at the beginnings of their journeys.

And so I learned.

I read books cover to cover

and observed countless classrooms,

growing my pedagogy with

each page,

each visit.

You demanded everything.

I gave you my heart

because you yielded so much more.

I taught through the fatigue and hurt

Not because problem-solving called me

But because YOU called me.

I do everything for YOU.

Because that’s what you do

when someone makes you feel as

alive as you’ve made me feel.

You gave me my be-the-change-you-wish-to-see dream,

and I’ll always love you for it.

But this year’s crisis challenged me to my core.

These past three months I gave you more than I actually have.

I think my heart can take the pounding.

I think my mind can handle the grind.

But I’m so, so tired and so, so worried.

And that is going to have to be OK.

It’s so unlike me, but I’m ready for this year to end.

Let’s savor every moment we have left together —

The good and the hard.

We’ve given each other

All that we have.

And we both know, no matter what the summer and fall bring…

I’ll always be the teacher

Wearing the silly costumes,

Surrounded by books,

With a clipboard, pen, and notebook nearby

Happily reading and writing

Page after page after page.

Love you always,

Ms. Vigna

(my copycat poem of “Dear Basketball” by Kobe Bryant)

Here is the LAST official roundup of literacy links for the 2019-2020 year if you’re looking for some quick inspiration, tips, and refreshment: