Saying goodbye

Well… today was our last day of school. As we finish the year I had so many precious moments with my students remembering all we learned this year and being excited for being in Kinder next year. I believe a few will be disappointed with the upcoming vacation time they are that ready.

Today we had a special time of celebration for one of my students. She and her family are moving away from Colombia for a new job. I wanted to help make her last moments at ECA memories she and her family will treasure. I also hoped to start growing my students in the skills of saying goodbye and leaving well.

Part of leaving well is Building a RAFT. We use this school-wide as a tool to assist students who are transitioning to a new place. Here is what is looked like in Pre-Kinder.

R-Reconciliation. Leaving your relationships in a healthy state

We talked as a class all year about how to be kind to one another and to ask Jesus for help to show love to others. I gave students a time this week to pray and ask forgiveness for being unkind to others. Today we shared brownies together in celebration of friendship- yum!

 

A- Affirmation. Letting those you are leaving know you care.

The girl that is leaving my class spent the last week at home making cards for each of her classmates. She handed them out to them- each one personalized and labored with love. Her classmates in return drew her pictures to put into her Pre-Kinder memory book.

F- Farewell. Saying goodbye.

As the students left the class today they had the chance to say good bye to her and another teacher that is leaving after this year.

T- Think destination. Looking ahead to what is next.

I had this child’s parents come to the class and share about what they are going to be doing next and where they are going to be living. We then prayed for the family for the changes they are facing.

It was a special time of celebration and remembering to say goodbye in the midst of the last day craziness.