I can't bear it, either.
Dutch cried most of the way home from school today. Her music teacher (an energetic, generous, joyful woman who is, I suspect, the heart of the school) made the official announcement to the kids at an assembly today that she* will be leaving the school this summer. Dutch said her music teacher cried and her classroom teacher cried, and Dutch cried too. Dutch being Dutch,** she said "Mom, I can't bear it! I can't BEAR that she's leaving!" and I found myself fighting back tears, too. I'm sure Dutch would be just as sad if her beloved teacher was retiring, or voluntarily leaving for another job, but I wouldn't be, and I'm guessing nobody else in the school community over the age of 10 would be. But I think that a lot of other parents and school staff are shedding tears over this loss.
Obviously, we CAN bear it, and it will still be better than many schools in the world, and better than no school.*** But it feels really sad, and weighted with more meaning, like Everything Good is Going Away.
* and therefore not only music classes, but also the 5th-grade band, the 4th-grade drum group, the holiday community sing-a-long event, and probably more other stuff I don't know about...
**Sentimental and extremely fond of drama in any form.
*** I guess. Though I think we may be reaching the point where I really could provide a better education through homeschooling. Actually, I fear that keeping Dutch at home for a carefully-planned curriculum of playing complicated pretend games with Skipper, arguing with me, coloring, and lying around reading books about horses would provide a better education than what she's going to get at school next year.
Obviously, we CAN bear it, and it will still be better than many schools in the world, and better than no school.*** But it feels really sad, and weighted with more meaning, like Everything Good is Going Away.
* and therefore not only music classes, but also the 5th-grade band, the 4th-grade drum group, the holiday community sing-a-long event, and probably more other stuff I don't know about...
**Sentimental and extremely fond of drama in any form.
*** I guess. Though I think we may be reaching the point where I really could provide a better education through homeschooling. Actually, I fear that keeping Dutch at home for a carefully-planned curriculum of playing complicated pretend games with Skipper, arguing with me, coloring, and lying around reading books about horses would provide a better education than what she's going to get at school next year.
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