Teachers Day 2010 - My Love Extravaganza

In Korea every year on the 15th of May it's customary to show your appreciation to your teacher(s) by giving a small gift. We teachers get carried away hoping for much namebrand soaked goodness, with many noses turned up at the sight of flowers and goodies from the nearby bakeries. I love every single second of it all. I didn't go to work expecting presents (bad experience from another school led to the change in attitude there!), but hoping for cards from my babies. My kids bring me SOMEthing almost every day, lol... it might be a little ribbon, a warm candy they've saved in their pocket all day, one of their barettes out of their hair (yes, really, lol) or a picture they did the night before when they finished their homework, but they're always very proud and excited to pass it over to me... as such, I was hoping to get some good ones for teacher's day!

My little kindergarten kids were absolutely aDORable this morning when they (and I) arrived at school. Usually I make a quick stop in my classroom after the bus drops us off to change the date and job cards, and then I have 20 minutes to get ready for classes, do my photocopying and have a cup of coffee before tackling the day, but this morning I didn't make it out of the classroom door once I ducked in.

"Shauna teacher! Shauna teacher! Present!" could have been heard at the other end of the building. They were bursting with excitement and shoving presents and flowers and cards into my overloaded hands. They wanted me to open everything right then and there, but for every one of them the most important part was the card that they had written, drawn, or coloured themselves, and their love and care was shining right out of them as they watched me open it and read their little messages to me. I always make a big deal out of their handmade presents, and this morning was no exception, and I didn't even miss my coffee cup today...

I'd like to share a few notes and cards with you...

   

Jay made me a thank you note decorated with lots of hearts and flowers...

Daniel made me a dragon airplane with "teacher, here, dragon airplane, pshhht! pffbt! powbow! rawwr! weee!" sound effects as he described it all...

Eric and his mommy made a combined effort... from the parts that I can understand of the note...
"I was really worried when I first sent Eric to school that I made a mistake sending him to Best Kids school and now 3 months has passed... Wrapped in Shauna teacher's love and colourful notes and drawings Eric has become so happy going to school... Each time he shows the work he's done in his books from his school day with such pride I am so proud of him and I am so happy...I hope you will continue to love Eric..."

Justin and his Mommy also made me a card together...

Melody drew us both in her thank you card... I love that we both look so happy, so full of life and energy

 

Sean was about ready to throw away the gift he brought to get to the card, he was SO very proud of his picture, and I can tell he spent a lot of time and attention making it for me

And lastly a note from Sandy and  her mommy (whose English is really quite good!)

my heart is happier than ever that I decided to go back to teaching, and I am proud to have such amazing, caring, and thoughtful kids looking out for me...

Have a beautiful weekend everyone!

Get a Real Job

I'm 32 years old. I have been 'granted' a 4-year degree that gets me into lots of career doors, and I am in the middle of a master's degree that will open even more. I have yet to find a job that inspires me here at home. I love school and learning new things (though I'm less-than-enamoured with my current program). I started the master's degree because after coming home from my last trip to Korea I thought it was probably time to get a 'real job', do something with my life that the rest of the world thinks is worthy of my intelligence and abilities. "Leaving your friends and family behind so you can go caravanning around the world, living in a foreign country, travelling to yet different countries on long weekends and holidays - this is for kids," says the World. "When are you going to grow up and make something of yourself?"


Well World, I've taken your words to heart. I've spent a lot of time in the past 2 years thinking about what kind of footprint I want to leave behind, what kind of impact I want to have on the world around me. I'm aware that I'm a good counselor, and that I will make a fabulous child psychologist (thanks for the reinforcement there by the way!).


Here's the point for pause though: Who says that teaching in a foreign country can't be a career too? Who says that it isn't a valid contribution for me to go to work every day in order to teach children a skill that can hugely impact their future? What part of the scenario in which I wake up happy and excited to go to work every day is not in my best interest? Who says I have to do what everyone else is doing at the same time they're doing it? Can you answer me any of those questions while you're telling me what to do World?


Here's what I think: My happiness is important. Who I am is not the same as what I do. If I can wake up every day happy and excited about the adventure that has become my life, why shouldn't I choose that over "putting my nose to the grindstone," "doing what I have to do to get by," and sleeping my way through life until I get to a more exciting part?


It seems that there is only one answer if I am to be true to myself. I know that it may disappoint some other people in my life, but how can I do what makes them happy if it means that I can't be true to my own heart? I can't. It's time that I figure out how to make my happiness come first again in life, for me to remember who I am, what I want and where I'm going. It's just that time... so look out World!