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My greatest hopes for my students are that they will:

1. **Grow and mature in happy, healthy ways

2. Learn to care for and cooperate with others

3. Learn to think critically

4. Learn to communicate their needs clearly

5. Learn to read for information and enjoyment

6. Learn to research for life-long learning

7. **Appreciate the doors that open for them with an education

8. Feel that their contributions are valuable

9. **Feel that I am here to support them

10. Feel willing to take the risks needed to learn and grow

In 15 years, I hope my students will remember that I pushed them to grow and reach new levels while always being there to support them.

At my retirement I hope that my fellow teachers will say that I was a strong advocate and support for my students as well as a valuable colleague.

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1. I hope my students want to come into my classroom every day.
2. I hope that kids feel safe and comfortable to share their ideas and feelings with me and the rest of the class. *
3. I hope that my kids grow each and every day in some way either academically or as a person.
4. I hope my kids learn not only academics but learn just how to be a good person and friend to others. *
5. I hope that my kids have fun in my classroom. *
6. I hope that I continue to grow and learn from classes or co-workers to become the best possible teacher I can be.
7. I hope I continue to have the desire to teach for the rest of my career.
8. I hope that I continue to get parents more involved in my classroom and in their child's academics.
9. I hope that I am viewed as hard working, dedicated, and friendly by my peers and administration.
10. I hope that I continue to love waking up being a teacher and seeing the kids every day.

In 15 years, I want my students to say that I was one of their favorite teachers because they learned a lot from me and had fun while in my classroom. Academics is such a big part of school but I want my students to know that I care about them acdemically, socially, and their feelings. Sometimes students just need to know that you care about them and I hope that each one of my students feels like I do care about them.

I am many, many years away from retirement so I'm not sure who will speak at my party but I hope that they say that I was a hard working teacher who never stopped trying to get better. I hope that they say they saw how well I connected with students and how much they loved being in my classroom. I would like them to think of me as someone who was fun to work with too.

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After completing this activity, I found that it was hard to narrow down just 10 hopes I have as a teacher, and then to pick my top 3 was difficult. The first of my top three is that I hope to provide an environment where my students feel safe, loved and welcomed. Not all students have that environment outside of school, so I want to them to know that my classroom is a safe space for them. I want them to know that they are loved and cared for when they enter my classroom. The second of my top three is that students feel supported through their ups and downs. As a teacher, I want them to know it is okay to make mistakes and we will celebrate them because it will eventually lead us to the successes. The third of my top three was that I hope my students show respect and kindness to all who surround them. As a teacher if there is one thing that kids take away from my classroom it is that kindness and respect are everything. I want them to know that those characteristics will get them far in life and they will be better humans because of it.

I want them to look back 15 years later and say I inspired them to be better. This may include never giving up, showing resilience, being kind, showing respect, celebrating mistakes and having a growth mindset. I want them to come back and visit so we can discuss fun memories we had together. I want to be the teacher that inspires my students to become teachers. I want to make a difference in their lives, and I want them to strive to do the same with others, no matter what career path they choose.

At my retirement party, I would hope to have family, friends, past and present students and colleagues all celebrating together. I hope several different colleagues and past students would speak. I hope they would talk about how I inspired many students, colleagues and families that crossed my path. I also hope that colleagues and students would talk about different memories or life lessons they learned from me throughout the years. I would hope they viewed me as an optimistic, kind-hearted, funny, self-less, caring and energetic teacher who wanted nothing but the best for her students.

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My hopes as a teacher:

1. For everyone to feel emotionally and physically safe in my classroom.

2. For everyone to feel accepted and have a sense of belonging in my classroom.

3. For everyone to have a sense of creative freedom in my classroom.

**4. For everyone to feel valued and respected in my classroom.

5. For everyone to feel that their ideas and opinions are heard in my classroom.

*6. That my classroom is a happy place where students look forward to joining.

*7. To instill the importance of art and values of art appreciation in students and staff alike.

8. That I can be a trustworthy and responsible coworker/team member.

9. That my peers can come to me for guidance and support.

10. That I continued learning and growing throughout my career and life.

I hope that what my students say the same about me in 15 years as they say in two years and in 20 to 30 years! I hope that they say I made them excited about art and that I was able to show them that we are all artists in our own way. I hope they talk about the excitement they felt coming into the art room each week. About how I made art interesting and intriguing. I hope that they speak of how I made them feel accepted and encouraged them to try new things.

At my retirement I hope that my friends/coworkers speak of me with joy and laughter. I hope that it is said that I was a constant advocate for the arts as well as students rights for creative freedom. I want them to say how I was a driving force in the development and growth of the art department in the district. And that I would do anything for my students. That I was always a positive role model, encouraged everyone to achieve their best and work towards their goals.

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As a teacher here is what I hope to give my students…

~ *A safe place for them to be their true authentic selves.

~ A place where growing means celebrating our mistakes as learning moments.

~ Challenges followed by encouragement that help them develop courage to take healthy risks.

~ *Compassion and love, making sure they know I believe in them.

~ Moments where they can explore and develop curiosity about our wonderful world.

~ Time to be silly and laugh.

~ A look into one another’s point of view and culture.

~ A space to share one another’s talents.

~ Kindness

~ *The belief that they can do anything they set their mind to if they believe in themselves first!

15 years after students leave my classroom I want them to remember how empowered they felt when they were learning in my classroom. I want them to think on all the fun we had and how they were truly apart of a community. I hope they will take what they learned into the world and share it with others.

For my retirement party I hope to have students, colleges, friends and family celebrating together. I hope whoever speaks, talks about how teaching is my passion. How I showed up each day excited to share time with students, staff, and the school community. I also hope to hear students talk about how much they appreciated being in my class because of the 10 items mentioned above. I hope to have made a difference in others lives, big or small, but in a positive way!

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When I look through my ten hope and narrow it down to three I'm left with hoping my students know that they are loved and valued by me, that they grew to have a love of learning and realizing that each person has strengths to draw upon and other people to help them with their stuggles.
I don't know who I would really want to speak at my retirement  but I would hope to see some of the families that I have know their grandparents, parents and children, plus my collegues and family. Their speeches would not be about my accomplishments but about my character, my heart, my love for people. As I mentioned in my credo, I hope that my words and actions are an extenstion of the fruit of the spirit from God. Teaching is just an extension of what is in my heart.

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Ten Hopes:
-I hope that all of my students come to my group feeling safe and in a welcoming environment. *
-I hope that my students leave my group each day feeling that they have learned something or have been challenged to further their knowledge.
-I hope that my students are able to smile during my group.
-I hope my kids view me as a teacher with enthusiasm that they are excited to learn from. *
-I hope that when my students graduate from elementary school, they look back fondly on their time with me.
-I hope that when my students move to middle school, they feel ready for the new challenges they face.
-I hope I am respected by my colleagues and administration as someone who is constantly working on becoming a better teacher.
-I hope that my job as a teacher will not only positively impact my students and colleagues but reach out into the community in which I teach.
-I hope that each year I strive to become better, never completely finished with my own learning and willingness to try new things.
-I hope to eventually influence the teachers around me and new teachers that come into my district positively and be a role model. *

I think I would want my students to feel that I had a positive impact on their eduction and also their lives in general. I hope I pass them positivity and optimism while still having the tools to deal with struggles in their life. I want them to say that I was a teacher that they enjoyed and maybe even influenced them to follow a career in education.
At my retirement, I would hope to have a mix of colleagues andd students there. I would want one of each to speak as I would hope to respected and viewed positively by both my former colleagues and former students. I would hope that my colleagues would talk about my impact on their teaching career as well as what they viewed was my impact on my students and community. I would hope my student(s) would talk about how they enjoyed coming to my group and how I positively impacted their life.

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When I think about my legacy and the things I want students to say about me in the years after they leave my classroom I find that one thing comes to mind, the impact I had on them. I want my students to be able to say that I had an impact on them and their life, even in the smallest of ways. I want my students to remember me as a fun, caring teacher who held them accountable for their actions. When I think about my hopes, the most important hope I have for my students is that they feel safe and cared for in my classroom. There is nothing more important to me and I want my students to feel that and be able to share that with others after they leave my classroom. I want my partner teacher to give a speech about me at my retirement party. She has been with me since day 1 of my teaching career and knows me better than any of my coworkers. We have become more than just partner teachers, we have become great friends. She is the person that pushes me to be a better teacher each and every day and there is nobody else I would want to talk about me as I close out my teaching career.

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I was initially dreading this self assessment. I knew that creating the list of hopes would be the easiest part.  Which it did turn out to be. I was able in a short amount of time to list 10 things and could probably have added more. I realized that my most important hope was a very simple thing. I hope to smile at students each day!  
In particular I was unsure how much time I would waste while contemplating who would speak at my retirement and then scripting their speech.  Once I got started after the ideas flowed and it didn’t take me very long.  I chose a current colleague, whom I greatly admire at school to be my speaker.  I thought about who she is and what things she would highlight as my strengths to share with the group assembled.  Thinking about it that way made it easier to process. I do not like drawing attention to myself or shouting out my accomplishments.  I rely on others to do that for me.  To say it in a 21 century way, more people tag me in social media posts than I post about myself.

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Ten Hopes I have as a teacher:
- I hope all students feel safe and comfortable in my classroom.*
- I hope all my students learn skills that will help them succeed in the future.
_ I hope to pass along my enthusiasm for science and social studies onto my students.*
- I hope I can inspire my students to try their best at all times
- I hope I can be a positive for a students day
- I hope students can feel comfortable with sharing their feelings with me if they are feeling down.
- I hope I can challenge my students to help them grow.
- I hope I can be a positive role model for my students.*
- I hope I can teach students to care for each other
- I hope all my students have a successful life after they graduate.

I have many, many years until I retire from teaching, but I would hope whoever speaks at my retirement party has kind words for me and funny stories to share. I would like to be remembered by my peers as someone who brought light to everyday possible.

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As I think about my Top 10 list, and my retirement speech - they are one in the same.  My hopes and wishes for my students are the legacy I want to leave.  But what is this legacy.  Some of my top 10 involved science things - I hope kids leave my class with a passion for science.  I want my kids to develop their critical thinking and skepticism.  I want my kids to leave more curious than they entered.  I want them to feel deeply connected to the universe - to feel that humbling realization that they are part of something far greater than their individual selves.  And I want them to have had opportunities to grow their creativity.  But there’s a second category of “wants” on my top 10.  These are the ones that got starred as more important, and interestingly, they transcend science.  Here I want my kids to be lifelong learners.  I want them to leave having an established, unshaking sense of growth mindset - of feeling empowered.  I want my students to leave more empathetic and compassionate. I want them to care about each other, even when the “other” doesn’t look like them or think the same way as they do.  And, I want to make a difference in my students’ lives - to have mattered.  So, what would my retirement speech sound like?  Well, I hope that these would be the things that were talked about.  I would hope that I honored my students as humans, and that our time together made a difference.  #Legacy

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Ten Hopes as a Teacher:
Dear Students,

I hope ALL my students find joy, challenges, and happiness in their lives.*

I hope I create a safe, welcoming environment for you to learn in.

I hope I was able to help put a smile on your face when something was bothering you.

I hope I helped you become a more organized student.

I hope you cherished the friendships you made in my class.

I hope I brought you challenges in the classroom that made you grow as a student and human being.*

I hope I taught you techniques to calm yourself when you were upset.

I hope you always stay true to yourself, no matter what.*

I hope you use your cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control beyond the walls of our classroom.

I hope I made an impact on your life and that you reach out to me when you think of me.
Love, Ms. K

Favorite Hopes:

My favorite hopes as a teacher are #’s 1, 6, and 8. These statements closely align with my core values as a person and as a teacher. (My favorite statement being the first!)

What I Hope Students Say About Me After 15 Years:

When fifteen years have passed since my first class, I hope my students will remember myself as an influential teacher. I hope that my students will remember my silly, quirky self, my passion for teaching and learning, my love for organization, and above all else, the relationship and LOVE I shared with my students.

Who I Hope Will Speak at My Retirement Party & Script:

At my retirement party, I imagine so many students, co-workers, and parents overjoyed with happiness! In a perfect world, I would have a student from each year of my teaching career attend. Here is one of my all-time favorite stories about a student that made an impact on myself as a person and as a teacher. If I could select a student to talk about myself at my retirement party, I would choose Arshiya.* (name has been changed).

Arshiya was an influential student to have in my classroom because  Arshiya was added to my classroom roster mid-fall. As a student myself who switched schools early on in the year as a Kindergartner, I connected right away with Arshiya. Like myself, Arshiya was very timid at first, and was hesitant to correct myself when I spoke her name incorrectly. After we connected individually in the beginning of the year, (and I learned how to pronounce her name correctly and without hesitation) I saw Arshiya’s personality and confidence grow immensely! By the end of the year, I nominated Arshiya to be a student council representative from my classroom, and she was also accepted into the gifted and talented program the following year! At the end of the year, Arshiya left a folded up note that literally brought me to tears one afternoon at my desk. (I will post the letter below so you can read it too!) I would love for Arshiya to read this letter she wrote me at my retirement party.

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My hopes as an educator are

1. *That all students know they are loved, important, and unique

2. That all students know I support and care about them

3. *That all students experience joy in learning and become lifelong learners

4. That all students find their passion in life

5. That all students are successful in school and throughout their lives

6. That all students help someone in a positive way

7. *That all students accept others for who they are and become compassionate individuals

8. That all students see the value and beauty in Earth and work towards a healthier planet

9. That all students are able to work with others and be respectful of their ideas

10.  That all students use our social emotional learning (Zones of Regulation, Top 20, Growth Mindset, and Conscious Discipline) in their daily lives to regulate themselves and solve problems

I hope that 15 years after my students leave my classroom, that they all remember our room to be a happy, safe, and fun place to be. I hope they have a smile on their faces as they remember their fourth grade or kindergarten year. I hope my students remember how much I cared for them, advocated for them, and saw the potential they had. Hopefully they remember that I always supported them in their learning and normalized making mistakes. Overall, I hope they say “Miss Garrigan cared about me, and we had fun.”

I hope collogues and parents speak at my retirement party. I am lucky enough to have worked with my cooperating teacher from student teaching for the last 5 years. I hope she will speak at the party and talk about my love for teaching, how much I cared about my students, and that I loved to dress up and decorate my room to make learning fun. I also hope parents of former students come to the party as well. I hope the parents would say that I was there to support their child(ren) along with them through the school year (and sometimes longer). I hope they remember that I was more worried about students’ emotional needs and becoming kind individuals than being solely worried about academics. Truly, I hope they say “Miss Garrigan treated my child(ren) as her own. She helped them love school and learning. She worked hard to make sure my child was successful.”

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My top ten as a teacher:
**1. EVERY child that entered my room felt cared for and empowered
2. Learning was exciting
3. students felt successful at their level
4. my room was a safe place to have opinions even if they didn't match mine.
**5. We laugh daily with each other and at ourselves.
6. We celebrate victories no matter how small.
7.  I will advocate for every child no matter what without fail.
**8.  In my room we fall up we don't fall down.
9.  My passion and compassion can be felt daily
10.  We didn't focus on disabilities.  Instead we grew our abilities.

15 years from now:
In 15 years, I hope that the students who entered my room remember it as a time of success not failure.  As a special education teacher and interventionist, I don't want students to feel as if my room was a place you went because everyone else had given up or nothing else had worked.  I want to be remember as a teacher who inspires and encourages those around her.  I don't want to be known or remember as "that teacher" that students went to because they weren't making it.  I want to be a teacher that the students I wasn't fortunate enough to work with are still expressing envy to the students I was blessed to have enter.  I want to be seen as a positive force that is still making an impact long past our face to face days.

Retirement speech:
If I could pick speakers at my retirement ceremony, I  would pick two young men and one young lady I would ask to speak on my behalf.  All three of them shaped me as a teacher and as a human being.  I would hope that the two young men would speak to the connection that we were able to make even when other teachers had thrown in the towel.  I would hope that they would say that even when they drove me nuts and I told them they were driving me nuts, they knew I had their back.  They are both young men that haven't been in my room for several years now but we still have regular contact because of not only the impact they made on me but hopefully the impact I have made on them as well.  The young lady I would hope would come back to speak still introduces me (as a senior mind you) as the special education teacher she wishes she wouldn't have needed but was glad to have.  I would hope she would speak about someone who never gave up no matter how hard she tried to push me away.  I would hope she would speak of my impact on her life before she even knew what an impact was.  Because I am not a classroom teacher I feel honored any time a student acknowledges our connection well beyond our time in the classroom together.  I want that to be my legacy.  I hope I have parents that are willing to come forward and speak of our time walking the journey of their child's struggles together as allies not enemies. I hope they are able to stay how they felt heard and supported. I hope that fellow staff members are able to speak of my passion for my students and my willingness to do whatever it took for them to be successful. I also hope they are able to speak of my ability to team with time and be a support to them when it felt as if the tool bag was empty. Most of all I hope that everyone who I cross paths with can speak of my passion and excitement for my job right up until my last day. If they can say that, I will have done what I was called to do.

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15 years after they leave my class, I hope they say they LOVED being in my room.  I hope they remember smiling and laughing together.  I hope they remember how I made them feel special and really listened to them.  I hope they cherish the friendships they built that year with other students.

Speak at my retirement party:

Well I have taught MANY students and so several stand out.  I hope one boy will share how when he started the year he needed many “tools” to help him get through the day.  After a short month, he did not use ANY of those “tools” to get him through.  He was not nervous or anxious in the class so he didn’t need the fidget spinner, the chew tool and wiggle pad.  I also hope the young lady speaks about when she started the year she would not share a thing with the class and would barely say a word to anyone more than  less answer a question.  By Christmas time she was raising her hand to participate and join in classroom discussions.  I hope the young man who admitted he was using a fixed mindset in math class but didn’t cry and we worked through things together so when we were done he was beaming and said, “Now I have my growth mindset back!” I hope they each take this skill and confidence with them as they enter their working world.

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My hope is the my students remember me as someone who really cared about making them feel welcomed and comfortable in a world that can often be hostile. I want students to see the joy in the daily things and I want them to know that true happiness is something that they can have. I hope that my students will look back at the times they had in my class and say that they did a lot of problem solving and critical thinking. Life is full of obstacles and I want my students to have the best critical thinking skills possible to solve any of these problems. I want my other teachers to remember me as a hard worker that strives to be the best teacher for my students. I want to be remembered as the person who was encouraging to other teachers when they needed someone to lift them up. I want my administrators to remember me as someone they can count on to teach with the utmost professionalism. I want them to know that I make decisions based on what is best for students and that is my number one priority.

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What do I want people to say about me as a teacher? I've had a goal ever since I started teaching that students would love getting up in the morning to come to my class. I have always strived to create a fun, caring, engaging, and curious environment. I have always wanted my students to say how much fun they had in Mr. Andreasen's class. I also hope that they remember my positive attitude, my growth mindset and my energy I try to bring each day even if I'm not really feeling it that day.

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In 2018 I gave the commencement address at the high school where I teach and in writing that speech I poured over the lesson in my courses and pulled out the most important messages to share with the graduates. It was (and is) my hope that the messages in these lessons open the minds  of and influence the students that I teach and become my legacy in the way that they understand themselves, each other and the world around them. As I worked through this assignment and reflected on my (perhaps) legacy, these still are the hopes I have as a teacher. From 100's of lessons disseminated down into these understandings (they are in no particular order and equal in importance). In addition, rather than a speech at my retirement party, my true hope would be that these things are spoken by my former students each day as they live happy and fulfilling lives.
1. Be kind to people - especially the awful ones- it’s likely they need it the most.

2. Be kind to the planet. Recycle.

3. There are devastating things in the world and they are happening right now and you can help change that.

4. Stand up for yourself, stand your ground and stand up for others too. The starting line isn’t in the same place for everyone.

5. Be informed and vote. People lost their lives for your right to do this. Now it is your responsibility.

6. Surround yourself with good people that lift you up and inspire you. AND when you select that one very special person - choose with intention. This is the person you will look at across the breakfast table every. single. day. for the rest of your life and they will likely be standing in front of every drawer you want to open.

7. Fair and equal are not the same thing.

8. Showing emotion is not a weakness, it’s a skill set

9. Fix another's crown without telling the world that it was crooked in the first place.

10. It’s not about rules as much as it is about goals.

11. Happiness is bought through experiences and relationships. Invest in those.

12. You are special, just like everybody else.

13. GRIT is the single biggest determinant of future success. Do not give up.

14. High school may not be the greatest years of your life - you get to decide that.

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1- Students feel cared for *
2 - Students feel safe*
3 - Students learn about themselves
4 - Students learn about history
5 - Students learn about civics
6 - Positive attitude
7 - Friendly to coworkers
8 - I continue learning
9 - Respectful to others
10 - Students learn empathy*

I think the best thing a student can say about me after 15 years is that I was a good teacher because I cared about the students. It would be nice if they thought I taught the content well, but I hope that my care stands out first and foremost.

As for my retirement party, I think it'd be nice if a coworker or former student spoke. I hope that they speak on my love for teaching and my love for students. I also pride myself on having a positive attitude each day, so hopefully co workers mention that I was somebody that they enjoyed working with.

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When I finished completing this activity,  I noticed that most of my hope revolved around my students and how I want to make an impact on their lives. I want students to remember that I cared for them and gave them a safe place to learn and grow.  I want them to look back fondly from the times they had me as a teacher. I also want to be remembered for pushing them and challenging them to try the hardest that they can. This all is sprouting from a place of caring. I want the students to feel like they were able to talk to me about anything and feel like I heard them and even helped them (if possible). I hope that I will have made a difference in my students' lives and in my colleagues' lives. My legacy may not leave a changed school or education system behind, but I hope that I at least touched the people I grew and taught along the way.

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In completing this activity, I quickly realized that I focused primarily on the aspect of creating strong relationships with my students. A majority of my hopes related to creating a safe and supportive space for students to be themselves. This affirmed for me that I must continue to be open and welcoming of student differences. In doing so, I do not ever want to stop learning and growing as an educator. When students look back on their time spent in my classroom, I hope they remember feeling seen. We are the best version of ourselves when differences are celebrated and nurtured. While I obviously want my students to learn some chemistry along the way, it is more vital for them to grow as individuals. A recognition that growth took place as a result of learning in my classroom is the legacy I want to leave behind.

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Everything on my list of of classroom hopes revolved around love, trust, joy, and care.
When student think back on my class I want them to remember how much I cared for them. I want them to remember that I wanted the best for them. Mostly, I hope that they recall that I saw them, truly saw them. Saw who they were and what they needed , every single day.
I hope they reminisce about the joy they felt in my room, how we took the time to learn and grow and LAUGH together.  I hope someone says I brought joy to what I did.When  they  look back on their kindergarten year, I hope students remember how we learned to be kind to each other. I hope that call to be kind never leaves them. Lastly, I hope they remember how much I loved them.

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My 10 hopes as a teacher. 1. friendly 2. *caring 3. *respectful 4. listener 5. life long learner 6. patient 7. organized 8. strong work ethic 9. responsible 10. *positive thinker

Retirement Speech given by a colleague.
We're here today to show our love and respect for Pine Island School's own Jackie Walter.

Jackie has spent over 23 years years here. She has touched all of our lives during this time, and we are all sad to see her go.

Her goal was simply to make a difference for each student and to contribute to the Pine Island School District.

Jackie showed that you can make a difference in student's lives by how she created a friendly, caring, positive  environment where all students felt safe to learn and share ideas. Everyone felt love and acceptance. She made a special point to greet each student at her door and ask how they were doing daily.

I recall visiting her classroom before school started and see how everything was organized to meet the needs of her students. She was always willing to learn or try new things to keep students engaged and active in their learning.

Jackie has been an amazing teacher, but she is also a great colleague and friend. If you ever needed someone to listen she was always there. She also was always willing to help out - even willing to take your lunch duty!

She has been our "go-to" person when we have had questions. Jackie is known to provide encouragement, support and guidance.

When I think of Jackie I'm reminded of a quote, she has titled "What I Leave Behind" I hope my achievements in life shall be these... That I have fought for what was right and fair. That I will have risked for that which mattered. That I will have given help to those who were in need. That I will have left the earth a better place for what I've done and who I've been. (Author Unknown)

Jackie you have achieved these. You have made a lasting impression  and made this earth a better place. Thank you and happy retirement!

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I want all of my students to know that they are valued and that they are important. When they leave my classroom, I want them to walk away with the skills of collaboration, empathy and citizenship and an appreciation for new perspectives. I would hope that if one of them reflected on their time in my classroom, they’d say that it was obvious that I cared about each of my students and that my classroom was a place they liked to be. It would also be pretty awesome for them to acknowledge that the things they learned in my classroom (geography and soft skills) really did prepare them for the "real world."

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I want students to remember that I saw them, I cared about them, and I valued them. I'd like for my students to also see that art is whatever they need it to be.  My students go through so much in their young lives, art can be their voice when they can't/don't want to talk.  I believe that the importance of art in a person's life is never ending. I would love for them to pass on this legacy on to others too. Kind of like a pay it forward idea. To show others you see them, you care about them, you value them and "a world without art is just "eh".- anonymous quote.

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The legacy I want to leave behind with my students is for them to have no question that they were valued in my classroom, that I believed and still believe in them as a individual, and to feel that I truly taught them an important skill (whether is was academic, emotional, social or just about life) that they will utilize in their life. This legacy would mean that I did my job as a teacher and that I positively impacted the lives of my students.

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Working through this activity, my hope for prompt 3 (what do you hope students would say to you 15 years down the road) connects most to what I hope my legacy may be:
"When I went to Mrs. Jourdan’s class, I felt important and that she accepted me for who I am. She gave us hard work and it felt good when we achieved it. She also helped me find some of my favorite books."
I strive to see and accept all my students for their unique strengths. I set high expectations and help students achieve them. And I want to help foster my students' love of reading. I hope all of this is evident in my eventual legacy.

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The legacy I want to leave behind is very simple. What I want more than anything is for people to remember my classes as being fun and enjoying their time with me. I teach band and I know that very few of my students will be lifelong trumpet, clarinet, etc., players. My hope is that when my students' children are thinking about starting band, that they will fondly remember their time in my classes. That means I made a difference and enriched their life.