As the school year comes to a close, take time to support students reflections on the year and the progress that has been made.  There is a lot to celebrate! Marieke van Woerkom from Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility offers this activity as a suggestion to close the year, including a poem and some guiding questions.  Follow the link to the activity here, or adapt the questions and ideas she gives below to create your own activity:  http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/poem-reflect-year

• What is something you learned so far this year that you’d like to remember after the summer, as you move into the next grade?
• What obstacles have you overcome this year?
• What is a goal you’d like to set for yourself next year?  What might get in the way?  How could you try to overcome the obstacles you envision for next year?
• What might you tell students coming into the grade you're now graduating from? What should they keep in mind?

As a follow-up activity, consider having students write themselves a letter or postcard to their future selves, with the lessons they learned this year and/or goals they’d like to set for themselves for next year.  Collect the letters or postcards and either send them to the students before the start of next school year or have them ready for distribution and reflection at the start of next school year. 

Alternatively, students could write letters or postcards to students coming into the grade with advice and suggestions to help them succeed next year. 

As you finish your final tasks and prepare to close out your school year, take time to celebrate the commitment you have maintained to your students and the seeds that have been planted towards their growth and development.