Ego, schmego

In the last week, several of my colleagues have suddenly realized that I'm leaving at the end of June. This realization (possibly combined with the laziness that hits everyone this time of year) has inspired many of them to invite me to visit their classes for the first time all year. It's been kind of fun - new classes are usually a boost for the ego, especially the lower grades, because little kids can be enthusiastic and interested in a new person in a way that adults really can't. Well, adults could, but it would be creepy and weird.
So this week, I was in a 5th grade class. I was surprised to learn that I can be interesting even after 30 sets of head and shoulders, knees and toes, but it seems like I made a good impression. Kids I don't know greet me in the halls. Today I found this little angel, wrapped in a slightly grubby party napkin, with a note that said "thanks four Lincey frum Valentina." Meanwhile, my regular sixth graders have just started sex ed, where they have discovered the aerodynamic qualities of water-soaked tampons, which they use to defend their classroom against approaching English teachers....
It's nice to be appreciated.