Bumping Up

It's a rite of passage, I guess. Yesterday my third graders bumped up to meet their fourth grade teachers.  My students were pretty evenly distributed across the four  fourth grade classrooms so while they will see some familiar faces next Fall, they will have an opportunity to meet new friends.While my current kids were down the hallway, my "new" class came to the room to be introduced. There are 24 students currently on my list and, while I'm sure that number will change - hopefully not too much higher - the proof that the students change and grow throughout third grade was very apparent.  These kids looked (and acted) so much younger! Several children were so much shorter than my current students that the desks seemed gigantic; several chins just made it to the desktop.The incoming students have lots of questions - learning to multiply is definitely something they are anticipating with excitement. And writing in cursive, too. When they return to me on August 31, we will spend much of our first few weeks together learning signals and routines that make the management of a class more, well, manageable.  We will learn to become the community of learners that my current third graders have become.So while I was energized to meet some fresh faces - and perhaps a few new challenges - I was glad to spend another few hours with my grown up third graders. And to savor the changes that 180 days bring.