Yet the reality is very likely that it will be. Except for the fact that if Donald Trump wins presidency I have been invited to live in about 40 different households in Darwin, I've been offered a job here whenever I want it, and Catherine and my students already have plans to Skype in January.
My last week with my students:
Monday: Elf, board games, and Christmas biscuit decorating
Tuesday: Catherine and I were chaperones for the excursion to the cinema with year 8 and 9 to see Mockingjay Part 2
Wednesday: Catherine and I were unable to be chaperones but we had two lessons off where we visited our year 7 kiddos at their excursion at the waterpark. They were so excited to see us, we were both soaked from their hugs. Then I said goodbye to my 8.8 students as we watched "funny" YouTube videos of their choosing that they wanted to show me. To end the day, Catherine and I had our nails done together and reminisced about our 6 weeks of a blossoming friendship.
Thursday: LAST DAY. Was offered a contract for a job teaching English and geography to some of my same students for next year that I could have accepted, got a lot of hugs, was given many gifts (lots of chocolate), and the students played the staff in a volleyball game to end the day. Oh, and Catherine and I were also on lunch duty where some of the naughty boys came to school, wearing bandanas as masks, egging the school and the car park. We tried to chase them, but big surprise, we just weren't fast enough. To their dismay, the police were faster.
Because this was the last week of classes and students do not take exams or even have any assignments left here, not many students come to school. So the pictures you see are not full classes because of course I did not consider taking class photos before they all left. I also did not get to see my little people in year 7 this week, so no class photo for them.
Since not much happened this week, I spent a lot of time talking about life with Catherine. We discussed a lot of different topics including the differences in education systems but also about life itself, various views and beliefs, and I was reminded how thankful I am to have met her. She gave me tips for my trip to Sydney, and she reminded me of all the potential and all of the dreams I have for myself. I spent the other half of my time this week sitting and talking with my students. Answering questions about America, where the answers astounded them. And the amount of times I had to answer the question "Why can't you stay and be our teacher next year, Miss?" nearly broke my heart to pieces. It is really bittersweet leaving this school, Catherine, and my darling students. It has not all been rainbows and butterflies, but I have been so welcomed, so loved and appreciated during my time here. More than one of my students told me that I made a difference, that I taught them something, and that I made them feel as if they could succeed. Because of that, nothing else matters. And because of that, I do not want to leave them.
So, all in all I had three placements during my practicum to finish my undergraduate degree in teaching, and each and every one of them will hold a very special place in my heart as the first groups of students I had the honor of teaching and three mentor teachers who became friends. But as of today I AM OFFICIALLY FINISHED WITH MY UNDERGRAD, and the next time I set foot in a classroom I will actually be receiving a paycheck. Cheers!
Monday: Elf, board games, and Christmas biscuit decorating
Tuesday: Catherine and I were chaperones for the excursion to the cinema with year 8 and 9 to see Mockingjay Part 2
Wednesday: Catherine and I were unable to be chaperones but we had two lessons off where we visited our year 7 kiddos at their excursion at the waterpark. They were so excited to see us, we were both soaked from their hugs. Then I said goodbye to my 8.8 students as we watched "funny" YouTube videos of their choosing that they wanted to show me. To end the day, Catherine and I had our nails done together and reminisced about our 6 weeks of a blossoming friendship.
Thursday: LAST DAY. Was offered a contract for a job teaching English and geography to some of my same students for next year that I could have accepted, got a lot of hugs, was given many gifts (lots of chocolate), and the students played the staff in a volleyball game to end the day. Oh, and Catherine and I were also on lunch duty where some of the naughty boys came to school, wearing bandanas as masks, egging the school and the car park. We tried to chase them, but big surprise, we just weren't fast enough. To their dismay, the police were faster.
Because this was the last week of classes and students do not take exams or even have any assignments left here, not many students come to school. So the pictures you see are not full classes because of course I did not consider taking class photos before they all left. I also did not get to see my little people in year 7 this week, so no class photo for them.
Since not much happened this week, I spent a lot of time talking about life with Catherine. We discussed a lot of different topics including the differences in education systems but also about life itself, various views and beliefs, and I was reminded how thankful I am to have met her. She gave me tips for my trip to Sydney, and she reminded me of all the potential and all of the dreams I have for myself. I spent the other half of my time this week sitting and talking with my students. Answering questions about America, where the answers astounded them. And the amount of times I had to answer the question "Why can't you stay and be our teacher next year, Miss?" nearly broke my heart to pieces. It is really bittersweet leaving this school, Catherine, and my darling students. It has not all been rainbows and butterflies, but I have been so welcomed, so loved and appreciated during my time here. More than one of my students told me that I made a difference, that I taught them something, and that I made them feel as if they could succeed. Because of that, nothing else matters. And because of that, I do not want to leave them.
So, all in all I had three placements during my practicum to finish my undergraduate degree in teaching, and each and every one of them will hold a very special place in my heart as the first groups of students I had the honor of teaching and three mentor teachers who became friends. But as of today I AM OFFICIALLY FINISHED WITH MY UNDERGRAD, and the next time I set foot in a classroom I will actually be receiving a paycheck. Cheers!