What do you do with those School Teacher Photos you get every year?

I was so excited to get a free packet of school photos during my 1st year of teaching.  Like I did when I was 10, I sent them to all of my relatives.  But then, the 2nd year came around.  Did my family really need another photo of my in a dorky teacher pose?  Probably not, but was I going to send them out anyways, HECK YES!

By the third year, the charm was wearing off.  Why wasn't grandma changing out my photos anymore?  Ok people, I can take a hint!  As a teacher, we find a purpose for just about everything.  I looked at my drawer of photos and was beside myself.  A collage of my teaching photos makes no sense...plus, it's pretty vain. Rather than making a collage of ME, I decided I'd add them to our class Treasure Box.  Vain...sounds like it, but I promise there was a method to this craziness.  When I told the kids about it, they were thrilled.  I didn't think it was a big deal, but it WAS!

I thought it was silly, my colleagues thought I was absolutely ridiculous.  But I promise you, they were the first prizes to go.  Looking back, I adored my teachers and would have done anything to have a picture of them or my class to share with my friends and family, so it made sense.  I received an e-mail from a mom a few years after implementing this little tradition of mine.  Her family moved back to Mexico and she wanted to let me know that her daughter still has the picture of me hanging in her bedroom.  That truly touched my heart and I realized that this "vain" idea meant a lot to all of my special friends in my class.  I'll endure the friendly laughter from my teacher friends as long as my kids are happy!

In case you were wondering, I went with the 3rd pose for the yearbook!