Today was my last day at the marsh! I'll be going back next week for an End of the Year Picnic, but no kiddos next time. Today was my last teaching day out there, and I'm assuming my last teaching day for quite a while. It's sort of sad, actually. I taught out there for two years, and I really loved it. I hope I get to teach again someday.

The kids were great today, too. What a relief! Nothing like having a good last day on the job, am I right?

They were really good about raising their hands, but they were funny because they were raising their hands at rapid-fire speed! One after another hands shot up and questions were thrown at me, often right before I was about to explain something. "I'm glad you asked!" I'd say, and segue into my next point. I really liked them!

One girl even laughed at my jokes. My first group was my favorite, because every time I said something even mildly disgusting, they'd freak and go, "OH GROSS! AUUGGHHH!!!" It was really funny! I love energetic kids who give good reactions. The kids who just look at me as if to say, "So?" are no fun at all. Luckily, I didn't have that problem today.

There's a station called the biofilter, filled with rocks that have snails and worms living on them. They eat little particles of dirt out of the water as the water trickles down the rocks and into the next station. I always put on a latex glove, get a rock to show the kids the snails, then put the rock back and throw the glove away. It's part of the tour. Today I got a rock and walked over to the kids. I extended my hand to show them the rock, and this humongous spider ran right across my hand! I jumped what felt like five feet in the air, but was probably only five centimeters. Then I laughed, and the kids laughed, too. "Where'd it go?" I asked. They said he jumped into the grass. I stepped away from the spot where I guessed he landed, and tried to concentrate on the rest of what I was saying. I can't believe how much that little guy startled me!

Later, as I walked my second group to station number six (out of eight), one boy asked me, "Is this the end??"

"No, we've got two more stations after this. So we've still got some stuff to talk about," I told him.

"Oh, good! 'Cause you're a really nice teacher. I like this tour!" he said.

I beamed from ear to ear, then had the presence of mind to tell him, "Thanks! Well, you guys are really nice kids!"

* * *

I only had to tell the chaperones of one group to be quiet... three different times!!! These two women kept TALKING. At first I just waved at them to get their attention and they stopped. A little while later, I had to say, "Uh, adults? Please?" At the next station, I said in my annoyed, Stern Teacher voice, "Hi, PARENTS! Listen. NO TALKING."

Jesus Christ.

After the tour, one of the women said nonchalantly, "Oh I'm sorry! We were talking through your whole tour!" and gave a small laugh.

"Yeah," I said, trying to sound casual. "I know you were talking quietly, but I just had to say something because you were REALLY distracting me."

"Well, that's why I said I was sorry," she said, a little snottily.

"Yeah, I know. I appreciate it. It's all good."

"You have a really hard job. You have to make crap interesting. You did good, though!"

"Uh, thanks," I said. What the--?

* * *

A different group's chaperone told me I was really great with the kids and did a wonderful job keeping their attention. She said I made it fun for the kids. Inside my head, I did a little happy dance. I mean, that made my whole day, dude. Whether I'm working with dogs or kids or what have you, it's always fun to be told you're good at what you do. Thanks, chaperone, wherever you are!

* * *

The last event of the day is short stations on Animal Studies. I always do the River Otter. The kids asked all kinds of questions. At one point, I contrasted the tiny eyes of the river otter with the big eyes of the bald eagle, and they started asking all kinds of questions about eagles! It was awesome! I love kids who are so eager for animal knowledge!!!

One girl stuck her name tag on my shirt sleeve. On it, she had written not only her name, but also a drawing of a kitty cat (a girl after my own heart!). "Yes, now I am Crystal," I told the group and kept on talking about otters. After that group's session was over, I walked away, and Crystal jogged up to me and gently took her name tag off my sleeve. She smiled and ran away again. It cracked me up, because by the time she took it back, I'd forgotten she ever put it there in the first place!

And to top off the whole day, one of the darling third graders asked me something no kid has ever asked me before. One of the girls said to me, "How do otters have babies?"

Inside my head: Did she really just ask me that?

Out loud: "Well. They have babies just like any other mammal."

Girl: "Well, I mean. But, where do the babies come out?"

Inside my head: This isn't happening. What do I say?

Out loud, before I could think any better of it: "Well, you know, it's just like any other mammal. Like a cat, or dog, or human. You know?" (Blank stare) "I mean... the babies come out... of.. thefemaleotter'svagina, okay any other questions?"

Heh. I bet you five bucks she went home and told her parents what I said! I'm sure they had a nice long conversation tonight! Haha!

* * *

Two animal things happened today that I've never seen out at the marsh before. First of all, the fish like to jump straight up out of the water and splash back down. They do it a lot, and I often miss it. If I do see it, they only ever do it once, and then that's the end of that. Well today, as the kids and I were looking out over the water, a fish splashed up out of the water and then back down. Then up! And down. And up onemoretime! And down. And that was it. THREE times!!! It was incredibly exciting and three just happens to be my favorite number and my lucky number, so I couldn't help feeling like there was some significance there, like somehow that was meant just for me. Anyway.

The other amazing thing I saw was that the kids had caught a crayfish. That in itself is a pretty regular occurance, but something looked wrong with this one. He was lying on its side. The kids and parents seemed super concerned, so I went ahead and reached into the little aquarium we had him in and stood him upright again. Slowly, he toppled back onto his side. Hmm. Things didn't look good for the crayfish!

I started to walk away when I heard excited squealing coming from the kids! I raced back and looked inside the tank and there were TWO crayfish! Except... not! The crayfish had actually shed its exoskeleton right then and there. The brand new darker crayfish sat quietly on the floor of the aquarium looking a little tired next to his pale twin, a mere shedding of his former self. It was incredibly bizarre and VERY cool. I kept telling the kids, "This is SO AWESOME!" Heh. It really was.

* * *

We cleaned up and that was the end of the day. The guy I teach with wished me good luck in my career and future endeavors. We shook hands and wished each other well. I'll see the woman I teach with at the picnic next week, but since she doesn't know if she'll be back in the Fall, she said good-bye to the guy, too. "Well, that was kind of sad," she said as she and I walked to our cars. It's true. It kind of was!

It's nice to end things on a good note, though. It's really cool knowing I got to work with two people all year whose company and conversation I really enjoyed. I know next week is supposed to be the final final day and all, but it's today that feels final. Today is the last day of teaching at the marsh for me, and the last day of teaching with those two folks, and like I said, probably the last day of teaching for a good long while. It's a pretty strange feeling. Still, I've enjoyed it. And to be able to say that is a really great feeling.