Tonight was the best Colloquium class ever. I could share the rest of the projects to counter my diary entry 12, but suffice to say among the presentations was an original acoustic guitar and singing performance that blew me away. The projects this semester were the most vast and the most creative yet. More important than the remaining projects however, was what happened after class was over.
I promised the students once the presentations were complete, I would conclude with a few words and then send them on their way. I was not interested in stretching the class longer than I needed to, just for the sake of keeping them there. We had a great time listening to the presentations and reminiscing about the field trips and other aspects of class, and then they were done with fifteen minutes remaining. I stepped up to the front of the room, told them how much I really enjoy teaching this class and how much fun I had with them this semester. I told them how much I loved their final projects and if they needed anything in the future to give me a holler because they had my email. They giggled and repeated "holla!" I think they appreciated that "I keep it real" with them. Then I let them go.
The thing is, only about half of them left. The others stood around the front of the room, kind of waiting in line to say goodbye. One by one, about 10 of them came up and said thank you. Four of them hugged me. Yup, my college students hugged me! I shot the shit with a few of them who told me how much they loved the class and we walked out of the classroom. There stood about seven or eight of them who just didn't seem to want to leave. They were talking to each other and back to me again, and one of them (the guitar player/singer) said, "this is kind of sad." I responded to him that it's the life of a teacher, the end is always bitter sweet because the work is done but it's time to say goodbye. So you'd think they would then say goodbye and leave. But no.
A few of them gathered around me outside the door and asked me what else I teach. I told them right now this was the only course I teach. What else do you normally teach? said Marc, the guitar player. I explained that I started as an adjunct for the College of Education and was teaching teacher education courses before I started teaching Colloquium, things like teaching strategies and children's literature. And he said, So if I take Children's Literature I could take your class? This was so endearing, because Marc is a junior IT major. There is no way he would ever be in any other class I teach. I laughed and told him he could take children's lit, but it wasn't likely I'd be teaching it any time soon. We laughed some more and I told them all I'd love to hear from them about how they're doing and if they need anything. One of the girls asked me for a recommendation letter for her internship.
And I walked out with two of them towards the parking lot, and as we split off to separate parking garages, one of them said, Thanks again. It was a really great class. So much better than I expected. I told him how glad I was he thought that and wished them both a relaxing, well deserved break.
Then I floated off to my car.
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