My last days and weeks at Conroy were incredibly bittersweet. I'm sure many teachers can attest to this, but it always seems like you have just built a relationship with the kids and then it is time to let them go. However, this goodbye was quite different than all the other goodbyes. It was not different because my paraprofessionals and my teacher bought me a cake and threw me a surprise party in the classroom. It was not different because I thanked all of them and began to get a bit choked up in the process. What was different was that my students did not grasp the concept that I was leaving. To them, it was a fancy day of eating cake; I would probably be back tomorrow. Some would find this frustrating or even sad. What is the point of working with students who don't even understand the magnitude of your hard work? It was then I realized the true purpose of teaching. Our job is not to do good work so that we will hopefully be recognized. In fact, more often than not we will not be recognized. If anything, these students have taught me that leaving is a part of life and one must smile through changes and transitions. They have taught me that the job of a good teacher is to be a humble superhero, that patience is indeed a virtue and that everyone in the world has a gift to share. Thank you to my loving mentor teacher and my students for teaching me how to love and to work in a school community that operates like a family. I hope to find myself back at Conroy someday. Until then, it is on to my next adventure!