Yesterday was declared the official "last day of school". What does that really mean? In New Jersey, it means we have come to the close of another 180 days of structured learning. I still ask; is it ever really over? I hope the answer is - ABSOLUTELY NOT! We (children and adults) should be learning at all times. Learning should not be limited to the structured setting of schools. Learning should take place anywhere and anytime. Yes, we all need some downtime but, that should be very brief. This brief moment is just to regroup, plan, set goals, and determine one's purpose. During our last few days together, my students share their summer plans with me. There were plans to travel to Haiti to visit family, sail on a cruise as part of a family reunion, riding bikes in the neighborhood with friends, spend time on a farm in Portugal, or go swimming at the community pool. As I listened to their plans and watched the excitement on their faces, my mind raced to seeking the learning possibilities for them all. Sharing the joy of lifelong learning opportunities with them brought me a sense of accomplishment. It felt as if that was my ultimate goal - to help them understand that learning is everywhere. This is where the ever popular "background knowledge" is birthed. They will have inner experiences to write about and make text connections with during reading. Yes, I want them to read during the summer and journal during the summer but, most importantly I want them to let life be their teacher. I know I intend to learn as much as I can too!