After one school year, I said goodbye to many of my 8th graders today. Today, they graduated from Largo Middle and are off to high schools in the fall.

I could not be more proud.

I have learned a lot from these crazy 14 & 15 year old kids the past year.

I learned terms and slang for things I hope to never use. With them, I experienced relationship breakups and relationship makeups. I learned how to trick them into learning and how to recognize when they are in a “mood”.  They taught me to never give up on them, just because they test the waters the first few months of school. They taught me that at their age, some of them have gone through more in the last year than I have in my entire life.

The main thing they taught me was that, as their teacher, I am meant to do more than just teach them.

I am meant to be part of their support system, a person they can trust, and a person they know will be cheering them on, even when they frustrate me to no end.

My classroom is a safe haven. A place to escape middle school drama or a place where they can come hangout and eat lunch.

Although I use to tell them they made my life hard. They did, but in a way I will truly miss this summer and next year.

So, to all my 8th grade darlings who stalk my blog and will see this….Good luck in high school! I know you will succeed. And ALWAYS remember these words when it comes to the new relationships you will make over the next 4 years:

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss