Mixed Emotions about Move Up Day

Today, most of my 5th graders will graduate, I mean, 'Move Up' in a ceremony that promises to be exciting and very enthusiastic!

My emotions are all over the place. Not so much sorrow that this may be the last time I see many of them. But because of the uncertainty of these times. What kind of "lack of funding--charter happy--test enthusiastic--resource deficient" middle school and beyond world am I sending my kids into?

Then I think of those who my teaching team have struggled with all year. Those who were chronically absent and/or late, those whose parents we never had the opportunity to meet, those who needed only 5-10 children in a class because they needed that much attention, those! What about those kids who will "move up" anyway, despite our strongest objection?

Yea, it's 'Move Up' Day alright! For many it really is a time to celebrate. Congratulations to those children!!! For others and for a variety of reasons beyond the teacher, it's more like 'Push Up and Push Out' Day! smh