School is Pau. This week I finished my first school year of teaching. Back in July I decided to take one of the biggest risks of my life. I applied for a teaching job in Hawai'i and got it. I moved with just the bare essentials and brought myself to a new and unfamiliar place. Getting the chance to move over 5,000 miles away from home is more than I have ever done. I was always a planner and a play it (most things) safe kind of person. I moved from everything I was used to and just went for it. I got to experience a quick adjustment being that orientation had already began and hopped right into the school year. I was to be teaching 6th grade Social Studies (not my most comfortable of subjects). My goal was to open the student's minds with knowledge and as much experience as I could, most importantly it was to show them how much I cared. As we entered the school year and I met my students, the first of August, it was nerve wrecking but exciting at the same time. I was meeting not just my students, but my teachers as well. Throughout the year there were some bumps in the road but nothing would get in the way of the reason of why I came here. Living in Hawai'i might sound luxurious to some, but there are hardships here just like anywhere else in the world. My students are strong individuals and still growing up just like other kids their age. They need guidance and discipline and someone to truly listen to them. They need to know they have a voice in this world and learn how to use it. These students have taught me more in a year than I think I could have imagined. Once I felt like I was getting the hang of things there was always some type of glitch, but it only made me work harder. I began to make my connections with my students and form relationships with them that I will never forget. This is my first year teaching, my own homeroom, my own classes, all 110 of them. There were plenty of days they may not have been interested in their school work or that there were more behavior issues than actual learning, but it isn't always about getting them to cram the material in, it is about making the connections through their work or getting the social experience with classmates and teachers. I think some people tend to forget that yes, they are kids and they need time to act like one. Go out in the sun, play on the field, get messy making projects, make mistakes! These are the times the students will remember. As a teacher I want my students to remember that school can be fun and it is important to learn. I want them to be able to enjoy doing these things and make positive connections with their academics.
We may have had some bumps in the road, but as often as mistakes are made or misguided judgements occur I could not have asked for more. These kids have taught me so much in just one school year that it only makes another year that much more exciting. Although I will be teaching kindergarten next year it will not change the fact that these kids mean the world to me. When the school year was coming to an end I began to only cherish the last days we had together. This last week was especially difficult. The students were graduating and moving on. Only half of the class will get to remain at our school while the other half is on their way to the local public school of Wai'anae Intermediate, which means saying goodbye a real thing. It is difficult to get to know so many kids and have to say goodbye so quickly. I'm sure I will bump into them here and there being that we all live so close, but I won't get to bump into them at school and ask how everything is going. The last day was the hardest of them all. The tears were flowing for many, hugs all around, and thank you's being given. I must say seeing my empty room all boxed up makes it feel real. I am excited for the time off especially because I live in a breathtakingly beautiful place, but goodbyes are never easy.
Most importantly I want to say thank you. Thank you to all that have helped guide me through this year. Thank you to my family and friends for the support. Thanks to my students, that ones that taught me so much this year, I am happy and grateful to have had the chance to be a small part in your lives. You have given me a very nice year and I wish you all the best with your futures!
MAHALO <3
