Tales of a Fourth Grade BBQ

Pinch me ~ I can't believe that we are at the end-of-the-year Elementary School BBQ! The Principal and Dean of Students, along with support staff such as the Counselor and Building Manager, do a wonderful job catering to all 1,047 student bodies by serving up a "real-live-genuine" barbecued hamburger ... complete with real pickles, lettuce, and cheese (okay, the cheese was the flimsy fake kind). But for a school lunch, this meal actually worked.

Traditionally, parents sit with their student in the cafeteria and experience wolfing food in ten minutes flat to keep up with their kiddos before they give a high-five, a hug, and bound out to the playground. Parent's are not allowed to recess, so that is traditionally where the fun stops.

But this year, my son's fourth grade teacher invited her students and parents back to the classroom for a end of the year party. It was fabulous, and I think all teachers should do this. The kids actually ate in a civil manner by taking their time, socializing, and enjoying the music she had playing in the background. The kids only eat in their classroom for special occasions during the year (which are rare moments), so to them - this was unique and fun too.

And the topper was a wide selection of desserts to celebrate Summer Birthdays, and a job well done for the year. His teacher is just one of those "life changing" kinds who kids talk about when they graduate from High School. The kind that makes kids who are generally "left behind" to feel positive about themselves, they have a friend on their side, she appropriately bends the rules to fit all the kids into learning and social groups ... it just works brilliantly. For those that are on-track or above, she knows how to push them farther, and creates non-academic ways to build leadership, self-confidence, and self-motivation. She beats to her own drum, and I will admit - it took a bit for me to adjust when my daughter had her for two years (she looped those years) - but I came to realize the big picture of who she was, and what she was doing with each student. Simply brilliant.

At the request of one of these "left behind" kiddos (K*) ... she made four different pies last night, after her day on the field trip, shuttling her own kiddos to activities. Why four pies? Apparently there is an inside joke among the classroom about how much K* loves pie. He simply asked - she gave over and above for him, and his classmates too, to celebrate K*'s year of hanging on. It was pretty awesome.

This was the best BBQ out of all the years we have been attending this school. A moment to remember a very  awesome teacher, and her equally amazing students.