End of a journey

For me, last Friday marked the end of a journey, whatever that term means. It was with mixed feelings that I cleared my belongings to leave the school once again, for the second time (the first was last Nov, after my contract teaching stint and the second, last Friday, upon completing my practicum).

Truth be told, the stress of the past few weeks had made me more than glad to return once more, to the embrace of NIE. It certainly feels great to be a student all over again! Instead of being the one racking my brains over what to teach and how best to deliver it, I can now be the one taking down notes in the comfort of my chair. Going back to NIE also means taking a break from the never-ending pile of marking. What a luxury!

Even as I celebrate the coming of a brief period of freedom, a new wave of sadness surged through me. I guess there will be many whom I will miss. No doubt, I have had my fair share of pain during my time here. But I am always thankful for a working environment that is far from being 'uppety'. I like the fact that many of my colleagues are people who are fun-loving and more importantly, down-to-earth.

Also, the thought of not having the kids around me seems unthinkable. Already, I am beginning to miss some of my kids! I guess I have finally understood what my seniors have been telling me: that when it comes to teaching, it is all about the kids. Indeed, nothing beats seeing lives transformed; students put into use what you have taught in class and seeing students enjoy the lessons that you have painstakingly prepared.

Where teaching is concerned, I consider myself very blessed to have truly wonderful students. More often than not, my students are the ones who are my driving force, giving me a reason to work really hard. Thank God for 1/5 ���06 (Eunice, Faris, Stephanie, Chia Yin, Markus, Jonathan, Aloysius, Aaron, Janice, Jun Kai, Chee Nan, Danny, etc) and 2/3 ���06 ( Agnes, Rachel, Danyal, Arif, Boon Hao, Soon Yang, Clarence, etc)

This year, I did not have the opportunity to teach any of my ex-students. In that sense, I started from scratch. Really thankful for 3/10, a class which re-ignited my passion for youths and teaching. You all remind me so much of 1/5 ���06���vibrant, spontaneous and united. When I first stepped into your class, I did think that you all would give me a lot of trouble. Some of you were calling me ���Mary��� and some were obviously resistant towards the idea of having a new teacher. But in the end, everything fell into place. Thank you so much for that lovely card you all gave me last Thursday. I love it! I will definitely miss you all loads!

As the saying goes, ���All banquets will come to an end.��� As I make my exit from the school, I just want to say that I am very grateful for the many beautiful memories you all have given me. CSS will always have a very special place in my heart. Once my student, always my student. Just drop me a mail or give me a call should you need my help. I shall be most willing to attend to you all!