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The End of the Kindies

Our kindergartens will graduate next Tuesday and, in normal A fashion, I am only just coming to terms with the fact that the little human beings I have seen day in and day out for the last 6 months will no longer be coming here.

We were told that there will be a week off from the kindergartens and then the new ones will start in March.

As we have a tri-level kindergarten (age 5,6,7) some of the kids will be returning. But I am the only foreign teacher who actually has two of the three 7 year old classes, which means all my little buddies will be gone....

I suppose with all that I'm learning, I'm also experiencing every teacher's highs and lows, this being a high and a low at the same time.

These little guys are heading off to 'big elementary school' and I have to hope I've helped to prepare them for what's ahead.

As I read what I've just wrote, I suddenly think that sounds really overkill, as though I'm taking credit for what essentially, their parents are really feeling.

But I'm not sure there's any other way to describe it. We all remember our good teachers. And there are thing that have stuck with me for years.

(Mrs. Chapman, grade 1, if you're out there, yes, I'm STILL as melodramatic and you recognized enough to choose me as the ONLY grade one to be in the grade six play.)

And so, the first fleet of young Koreans that I have influenced heads off into the big wide world, I am a bit apprehensive about just exactly how I will feel next Tuesday at their graduation.

Pretty sure I'll cry, since a sappy milk commercial makes me bubble up with ease.

And I'll just be so happy. Because we'll be starting fresh. No other teachers to have come before us for some of them. And so it will begin again.

I suppose I should just look forward to the break. (note, we are STILL being asked to come in at the same time every day, how very Korean)

But I think I'll just relish the new little ones, teacher teacher teacher help-u-me-please, simultaneously in my face.

Who knew that could be music to my ears.

Comments

Elizabeth said…
i cried when i said goodbye to my favourite student last week... sappy, sappy, sappy, maybe that's another reason we get on so well?!

it is the beginning and the end... and there's nothing any of us can do about it! see ya soon...

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