tuesdays are my practicum days, as many of you know. i returned this week after calling in sick the week prior...and it couldn't have been better. upon entering, one of my students says to me, "why were you away last week, ms. huang?" after explaining that i was sick, another student comes up to me and hands me a card that says "i miss you, ms huang."
it's moments like these that make me reconsider my decision to put teaching on the backburner. once again today, my host teacher hinted that it would be nice if i took over her room and her stuff next year when she's away on mat. leave. while i love the staff and the school, i don't think i'm ready to settle down yet...i'm scared that accepting such a position would make me complacent with my life here. i'll end up settling down and living the typical north american life.
it was funny but at lunch i had an interesting conversation with another staff member. he said that when he graduated, he had all these dreams about travelling the world but he ended up settling down with a nice girl, making mortgage payments and having children. even though his wife and him are both teachers and could find international work easily, his partner won't budge. similarly, i went back to my last host school (malvern) today (to get my principal's reference) and had almost an identical conversation with one of the teachers there.
so my determination to continue on with grad school and to work a few years internationally was confirmed. however, sticking with it will be the hard part. i'll just have to keep telling myself that i'm only 24 and that i have my whole life to teach and to settle down with whatever career it is that i choose...
but visiting malvern today made me a bit soft...i saw the little grade ones i had two years ago who are now in grade 3. they're simply adorable - my favourite student, osama, definitely has a soft spot in my heart...besides being the smallest boy (who was also the brightest kid in the class), his words on my last day made me tear. he said something along the lines: "ms. huang, THANK you for everything you taught us. i learned so much from you and i think you're going to be a GREAT teacher." He was only in Grade One at the time...GRade One!!! I'll never forget that kid. sigh. the joys of teaching sometimes.
4 comments:
i have an additional story to share about today. so i was chewing gum while assessing 1 of my students. he goes to me, "are you chewing gum? cause i smell gum."
hahha...the last story was the best...friend, i understand ur dilema i will post at work tomorrow about similar things that have been swimming in my head...
ur a great teacher ms. huang...
love,
ms. mantilla
actually i have 1 more story to share. sorry, so much to say today, i know. but this happened in the grade 1 class @ malvern.
anyway, the principal came into our class and sat on one of the chairs. a little girl goes to her and says, "that's my chair." principal goes, "can i sit on it?" the little girl responds with a straightout NO. "No."
i like your way of thinking: keep an ear out for where God wants your serving ..could be at home or abroad
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