The WORST Part About Teaching 4th Grade

I can't believe that I am about to begin my 8th year of teaching.  It seems as if I'm fresh out of college, but then remember as I make my student loan payment; that is not the case.  As all the back to school festivities and plannings commence, it makes me think back to all the kiddos I have grown attached to over the years and looking forward to seeing my former students.  That's when it hit me.  I was thinking about all the faces that I don't get to see.  All of my 5th graders that are going to middle school will no longer be some of the smiling faces I see in the hallway.  I started thinking about when I taught Kinder, how I saw those kids as 1st graders, 2nd graders, and will be about to see them as 3rd graders.  It made me think back to my very 1st teaching interview.  One of the teachers on the team decided to ask me what is my favorite thing about Kindergarten.  I answered about how I love their age group and all the fun things we do and their innocent things they say...then it was followed by her question of what do I not like about Kindergarten, to which I answered- lining up.  Yeah, you try getting 22 five year olds into a quiet straight line and tell me how much fun you have!  Today I still stick with that answer...that and tying shoes, however the best thing would be that if you're lucky, you get to see those kids for their next 5 years of school.  Which led me to ask myself..."What's the worst thing about teaching 4th grade?"  I have come to the conclusion that it is the fact that you only have one more year of seeing those kiddos around the building.  Then it's up to fate for our paths to cross in the future.  There are some I see more regularly because of siblings, but as their siblings age, they too will be moving on in the school system.  I look forward to those moments in the future, bumping into one another and seeing how they're doing and where life has taken them.  I want more than one year after they leave me!  That has to be the worst thing about teaching 4th grade!

On that note, I am working extremely hard to get ready for my new class this year!  Looking forward to another great year in the books!