Show and Tell Tuesday-What's Made You Happy Lately?

I'm linking up with Denise at Sunny Days for Show and Tell Tuesday.

She is asking that we blog about what has made us happy lately in our classroom. Well....I'm having a hard time with that this week. We are testing! YUCK! I'm not sure how you all feel, but testing does not make me happy. I understand that testing is necessary. We have to have a way to evaluate our students. We have to have a way of comparing our students to others in the country and worldwide. I get that and I think it's important. It just drives me crazy that kids feel so pressured and teachers feel so stressed. I hear it from teachers everywhere.  The stories from this week, some I have experienced personally, tell me something is not right. Third graders who don't want to come to school for fear of failing. Another student who shut down before the test was even passed out and refused to pick up a pencil. A mother sobbing over the fact that her child made a mistake bubbling in responses and she thinks he will fail the grade. Another student getting ill due to the fact they have to "take THE TEST"!  I find it difficult to find the "joy" in this, but I'm going to dig deep.

I'm going to think about all the days before testing and the days I have left with my sweet kids after testing. I am pleased and very happy with all the progress they have made and the growth they have shown this year. Regardless of what a test tells me, I KNOW I've done my job and I am confident they have learned. I'm fortunate to have a group of kids that are eager to come to school each day. I'm happy that they greet me with a smile and a good morning. I'm happy that they can't wait to share their weekend news or winning goal or birthday party fun with me. I'm proud of each of them for working so hard the last two days (two more to go), showing strategies and checking their work...they listened!! I'm happy that I still find joy in my classroom. I'm happy that I DO look forward to the start of each year even after 20+ years.

So...I guess there is something there is something that has made me happy lately! 

Share the joy from your classroom!