Lessons that Matter

ByMrs. Allen

When you have a special class…

You can’t help but learn from them.

You learn about things that really matter.

I don’t mean aboutFractions

Or adjectivesOr plants

Or mathematical properties.

You learn about things that really matter

You learn to love MondaysBecause of weekend news

And knowing that you have Four more days together

In a rowTo laughAnd learn

And outgrow yourself.

You learn to fear JuneAnd the last day of school

And saying goodbye For summer.

You learn that In order to teach,You have to keep

learning.

Here are some of the Lessons I’ve learned

From youThat will stay with me

forever.

From Bauer I’ve learnedThat a man is not

Simply measured by How tall he is…

But by the size of his heart

And his smile.

That carefully drawn pictures Offer insight into

whoA person really is and

what Dreams lie within.

From Allie I’ve learnedthat freckles

Look their bestWhen they are right

above A smile

And that loving dolphinsAnd friends

And yourself No matter what

Is a fantastic way To live.

From Riley I’ve learnedThere is order

In disorder.That when my hair

Is crazyI look my best.

I learned that when youLive like an artist

There is straightnessIn the parts of your lifeThat always seem to

Move around in circles.

From Luke I’ve learnedThat “I get it!”

Really is a sentence…One of the best you can

say.

That the best thing you can bring to schoolIs a mind that’s ready to

Notice how smart You, and everyone around you, are.

From Tim I’ve learnedThat the teacher I am

Has a little learnerInside her

And that little learner has

An even smaller voice Inside her That asks,

“Why?”“How?”

And that isThe seed of it all.

From Momina I’ve learned

That starting overIn a new place

That’s oldIs a great wayTo learn again

What home really is.

That challengesCan seem like walls, But when you climb

walls, You see new things.

From Kate I’ve learned You need to have a scale in your heart

Of serious and silly,Of curious and cautious,Of the scientist’s logicAnd the poet’s heart.

From Vivian I’ve learned that

Intelligence and patienceCan sometimes hideInside a quiet spirit

That hard work needs some

EncouragementBut the rewards are great

I’ve also learned thatI can beat her at checkers,

but never at chess.

From Peter I’ve learned That it’s importantTo have balance.Study and play,

Learn and laugh,Read and dream.

That seeing things from More than one view

Is the only way To get the whole

Picture.

From Aidan I’ve learned That eyes

Are the doorwayTo questions

Which are the doorwayTo answers

Which are the doorway To excitement

Which is the doorwayTo life.

I thank him for that.

From Nick I’ve learned That being cool

Is scoring touchdowns and

Hitting homeruns,But it’s also being able

To sing a songWith just as much

Enjoyment…

That everythingYou are has two sides to

it.

From Gabriela I’ve learned

That it’s important to be brave.

When things are new And tough

And unknown,You must just start to

hum,So the song inside of

youCan make you brave

And take you where you need to be.

From Sydney I’ve learned

To watch others And take what’s best,To think hard about

What’s good in every situation,

To keep in mind how To be the best friend I

can be.

I wish more adults Could learn from

Sydney.

From Brandon I’ve learned That athletes

Are playful artists, Who set up their shots,And move like dancers,Calculating the rhythm

To make it perfect.

I’ve also learned That I don’t know nearlyEnough sports statistics.

From Max Z. I’ve learned about Welcoming

challengesAnd new experiences.

I’ve learned that a smileIs the best way to greet

Challenges, new experiences,

And old and new friends.

From Erika I’ve learned To smile through

everything…That there is good in

EveryoneAnd everything.

I’ve learned to be proudOf who I am,

and to dive in deepWhen doing something

I love.

It’s the only way to do anything.

From Hayden I’ve learned That it’s good to start

Each day with a smile, To end each day

With a happy memory,And to fill it up

In betweenWith moments that can

becomeMemories

Filled with smilesThat bring more smiles

When we remember them.

.

From Alexandra I’ve learned

That it’s fun to act, And that actors are showing Part of who they really are.

That every role we play in life

Comes from the heart…

Student, friend, son, daughter,Mother, father.

Every role we playis real

If you play it with your heart.

From Ava I’ve learned That being cool

Goes beyond the way you look.

It’s about how you look On the inside.

Your hair should be just right,

And so should your conscience.

Your clothes need to fit right,

And so does your personality.

From Katie I’ve learned That question marks are

my favorite Sign of punctuation…

That it’s good to wonderAbout truth

And challenge old ideasTo create new ones

For the world.

From Sophie I’ve learned

That when ideas are new,

You should welcome them

With open arms And an open heart…

That you need to remove the locks from

the doorsIn your head,

So that new ideas will always be welcome.

From Sabine I’ve learned That there is a special style

To watching quietlyWith wide open eyes.

That it’s just cool to let New learning happen

Without announcing it to the world.

That there is elegance to enjoying the world around

youAnd relishing it for yourself.

From Max G. I’ve learned The best way to live

Is to care about what you do

And who you do it with…

That experiences are only as

Good as the care you have For friends…

That you should put your heart into all you do.

From Van I’ve learned To find the bright side

In every situation

To find the best sideIn every person

And to find a wayTo laugh and smile

Throughout every day

These are the lessonsYou’ve taught me this year.

As I continue to Love Mondays,

And be afraid of June,I’ll remember all I’ve learned

From 24 pairs of eyes,That greet me each morning,

So that I can be More

Because I have known you…The best lesson you can ever

learn.