Paint and Pages

Today was the last day of school. Well, not exactly. Monday we have school but our graduation ceremony will take place during the day so it’s not exactly a typical school day. Tuesday is our last day, but it’s after our graduation, so I’m not sure if I’ll have a full class of students.

So today was what felt like the last day of school. The last Friday. The last regular day.

The last-ish day of school.

I had some books picked out to read today, but for one reason or another, they just didn’t feel right.

And as I’m leaving the early childhood classroom this year and moving to the university classroom, I want my last days to feel right.

So I picked up a book I hoped to read before the year’s end, yet hadn’t; “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Lenny Lipton and Peter Yarrow. I thought it would be fun to read the story, listen to the song by Peter, Paul, and Mary while children pretended they were playing with dragons.

I began reading the story to a squirming group of preschoolers, who were intrigued when they saw the land of Honalee and the boy, Jackie Paper, bringing presents to his dragon friend.

Then I got to the part where Jackie Paper grew up. He stopped coming to play with Puff. He no longer needed his dragon.

“He grew up“, I told the children. “Just like all of you. You started the year as little preschoolers who couldn’t write their names or share or count, and now you’re ready to leave preschool for Kindergarten.”

And before I could get all the words out, I burst into tears! Sobbing tears. The type of tears that avalanche and you wonder if they’ll ever stop.

My sweet paraprofessional, Nawlahhserpaw, went and got my tissues. She let me cry.

The story goes on to show that even though Jackie Paper grew up, his daughter needed Puff and a grown Jackie watched on while they played.

I cried through most of the book. We listened to the song and danced. I took turns dancing and crying and smiling with students. The students came together and danced in a big circle at the end, just like we’ve done countless times when dancing this year.

It was a beautiful moment.

And as I was reflecting on my feelings during my prep period, I shed more tears.

I looked at the board in my classroom full of the treasures students bring to me each day. Drawings they’ve done at home. Their best coloring pages. Pictures with their name written in their best handwriting. All the letters and numbers they can write. Pieces of ribbon and stickers. Everything they have to share.

And they share it with me. Their rascal Puff. Their teacher they’ve outgrown.

“Little Jackie Paper, loved that rascal Puff, and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.”

I have my own wall of strings, sealing wax, and other fancy stuff.

So I wrote a recipe. A recipe for the endless tears that come and keep coming.

Recipe for “Mrs. Thelen’s Tear Soup”
1. Dish is best prepared on the last day of school.
2. For extra salty tears, make on the last day of school before Mrs. Thelen leaves the preschool classroom for the university classroom.
3. Substitute the books in your lesson plan for that one you haven’t read this year…it’s on your shelf, calling your name. Listen to it.
4. Read “Puff the Magic Dragon” until little hands and feet are still and minds are curious.
5. When you get to the part where little Jackie Paper grows up and doesn’t need his teacher (dragon) anymore, you will have plenty of tears.
6. Finish with the part where Jackie Paper’s daughter returns to play with Puff the Magic Dragon and you will have an endless supply of tears.

7. Abandon the Preschool Memory Books you had planned for today and just play with your young students. Build a giant wall using the STEM bin cups we’ve spent the year keeping separate. Mix them up. Let them use chairs to make the wall really tall. Make some core memories with Mrs. Thelen’s Tear Soup. Store in an airtight container. Good for a lifetime or longer if shared with the next generation.