Italian Born Chinese

Friday was my last teaching day until… until when I decide to return to teaching ever again.  I taught 2 classes, and my boss took the other 2 to give me time to start getting ready to move out of my office.  First period I had 6B and they didn’t seem out of the ordinary.  I walked towards the 6A classroom as the third bell rang.  Usually I could hear them from 4 classrooms away, and wondered what was happening to 6A before I entered their room.  Someone was already crying when I walked in, and apparently they were trying to be quiet in hopes that I’d change my mind to continue teaching them until perhaps labor itself starts…  The first week of May is school holidays.  Afterwards I’ll work
3 more days, mainly to have parent conferences (report cards just went home on Friday) and to clear out of my office.  I really need those 3 days to finish non-teaching related work.

I finished teaching third period, and slowly waddled back to my office.  By the time I got into my office, 7 girls from 6A were sitting on the floor blocking the entrance to my work area.  There is a 15-minute break after 3rd period.  They were on strike and said that they would only leave if I went back with them for 4th period.  It was impossible for me to get them out of my office.  I tried all kinds of ways to comfort them and assure them that I’ll come back to visit with Baby Logan.  They were crying their eyes out and saying all sorts of sweet things.  I had no idea what to do.  Finally the bell rang and I had to tell them that they really had to go.  They were so teary and I gave each of them a big hug.  They sobbed their way back upstairs, and CY came into my office telling me that she thought something terrible happened until she asked the girls.  I felt bad that I didn’t know what else to do.

Just as I was finally able to breathe and settle down a bit to sort through my big box of folders, those girls came back saying that Frances gave them permission to come help me with the packing which would also give them a bit more time to spend with me.  My corner was so crowded and while I told them that they could help me on condition that they stopped crying, Heather came in.  Heather told the girls that they should be happy for me that I’m having a baby, and that they talked about this already the day before when they had PE class during which they already cried about this.  My goodness!  I had no idea that this is what some students go through emotionally when a teacher leaves before the end of a school year.  I am certainly flattered, but don’t understand how some can get this emotionally attached.  Anyway, I decided to go through each folder and take out papers for them to rip.  I even demonstrated how to rip to make them feel better.  They were so funny.  They really tried my method and it seemed to work.  We had a nice and long chat the whole period and got a lot done.  During the time, they found my name stickers.  They asked to take some and said that they’ll stick them on themselves so that they belonged to me.  ^_^

Bell rang again and they had to leave, only to come back after school to give me a cake with my name on it.  It was wonderful to see them smile again.

In the afternoon I received an e-mail from Chris.  He said that his students in 6B are not as expressive and vocal, but he spotted a student crying too and told me that he found out it was due to my leaving the school.

I felt terrible, not knowing how else to comfort my students that day.  Where did all these emotions and hormones come from?  I thought I was the one that was supposed to be having all the hormones.

Good thing that Angelia is coming back to be my replacement.  At least some of my students already know her, and they like her.  Hopefully they will all adjust well and enjoy her teaching too.  I’m sure they will.  Good thing about kids is that they adjust and adapt quickly and happily.  I feel good about leaving them in Angelia’s capable and loving hands.

I’ll always treasure the memories, and hope that they finish this school year well just as how they have been all this time.  I will certainly keep my promise to visit them.  Before then, I’ll just miss them a whooooole bunch!