Packing Up and Counting Down

I'm packing my things and counting down til 8 June, which marks my last day at Holy Innocents' High School.

And as I pack my things and look through my files, I realised how much I've grown and changed in my teaching methods through the three years. Once an amateur, referring to reference books all so often, I've moved on to using authentic materials and adapting them to suit the profile of my students.

Snapshots of how I've thrown the starfishes as and when I could into the sea in my four years in the education service - from my NIE days right til the 8 June - come to mind, giving me a little sense of achievement. And though there have been bad days, I shrug these off. Afterall, there must be rain to have a rainbow.

I will miss my students in a way, and I hope they will grow up to be fine young people. Closest to my heart will be my Media Club writers, and the students I've taught since Sec 1 - my 1 Unity 2004 kids. They are now in Sec 4, and boy have they grown! All the best for your O levels this year!!

As for my form class this year, I hope they will heed my advice and work hard to improve. Life is not fair sometimes and we have to work harder than others. But that makes us stronger people, and we'll know how to pick ourselves up if ever we should fall again. "The greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

As for me, I'm moving on to the next phase in my life as well. It's filled with uncertainty, but with a heart and passion for a greater good. Not that what I'm currently doing isn't good enough, but that the call to do bigger things is much too strong for me to resist. And reaching out to the less fortunate seems the right thing to do.

I wish all my students the best in the future undertakings, and if ever they see a starfish, may they remember to smile, and recall all that I've taught them. One day, I hope they will join me in throwing starfishes in the sea.

:)
m.c.