live it to the fullest.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Friday came and it was my last day in my Prac school.

My CT was on MC so I had the whole day with 5E, had to teach some Math, brought them to the com lab and reminded them I was leaving. One even had the cheek and asked, 'Teacher, you told us this to remind us to give your present issit?'.
Hah..not as if that was not a good thing, to get a present, but shows how cynical these buggers are..Imagine them saying going for a school dinner with drama performance for 20 bucks expensive. Anyway that's side-tracking.
So my 'beloved', 'well-behaved' and 'smart' 5E didn't quite care I was leaving. WTH. So not the reaction I was expecting from this class. Maybe Pri 5 ego big liao..shy to express themselves. Dunno..not about to reason out their bad behaviour.

What really melted my heart was my last period with 3F. Mind you this was the class, I was always rushing syllabus with, scolding for being noisy and sloppy. This was the class that I was constantly complaining about. Yet, this was the class that the moment I stepped into class, someone asked, 'Miss Hafizah, why are you leaving us? Where are you going?' 'Miss Hafizah, don't leave us!'
Many of them came up to give me their presents, their hand-made cards (made of foolscap paper even!). They queued for a hug from me even! My goodness...even my Pri 2D during contract teaching days didn't appreciate me this much! I was really amazed, as I hugged them, I began to tear..So this is what it feels, to be appreciated as a teacher, its all for this. For gratitude from our students. Ironically I only taught them for what, 7 weeks. Amazing..

Took pictures with them..all within a span of 20 minutes, passed them my gifts for them; self-made bookmark, some stationery..They were so excited..Brought them down for flag-lowering and the naughtiest boy in class asked me,' Miss Hafizah are you coming tomorrow?' ' Tomorrow is Saturday, dear.' How about Monday? Will we see you?' 'Miss Hafizah, come teach at Christchurch Sec, my sister is schooling there. So I can see you everyday,'
Childish as the comments may seem..these students appreciate me unlike the 'beloved', 5E.

I certainly did not expect to get emotional as I was waving and hugging them goodbye. This was the first class to make me feel very warm and re-affirm this path of life I've chose, this vocation.

I attended this talk by Jeffrey Goh in NIE just now, he said, 'Love the unloved, don't love the beloved'. Which I find very true because 5E was loved for being smart, adorable. But that was the mistake I made. Sure, these kids had the brains and sure can talk. But its the students that are dying for your attention, love and care, those unappreciated, that need our love. These are the ones, he said, that you can see change with your love. I totally agree with him.

There is a reason why I didn't get into Uni. God has plans for me as a teacher. I truly get this now. It used to be all talk and no conviction. Now, I'm affirmed. My adventure begins this July.

life
11:58 PM