Yesterday marked the end of an amazing chapter. Yesterday was the day when my students said goodbye. For the last five years, I have had an amazing group of students who were amazing and talented in more ways than they can imagine, even if they did not think so at all. I suppose from the title you can guess that this may not be a happy post but its not all bad at all. I thought long and hard of what I wanted to write about, but I suppose I would just settle with writing how I feel. After all, all my hopes and wishes were mentioned at the dinner, so here goes...
I Feel Like... CRAP
You guys know me, I would either spout some acronym or a lame joke. So yes, I feel like CRAP, C stands for complete. For the last 5 years you, my class had become part of my identity. You may not know this but you would one day become a teacher and your students become part of your identity. You would see them as part of your daily mission or class objectives. Most importantly, you will begin to care for them as your own children and having them around just seems better, complete.
Since you, my dear students are like my children, I am ridiculously happy for all of you. That's what the R stands for by the way. I am happy that none of you failed your course, but more importantly, I am happy that you guys get to add this achievement to your life. You may think its a small feat, but I am sure that each and every one of you are going to change the world. When you first entered into college, I was told that you were all good students, scoring very good results in your high school exams. With that discipline and skill, I am sure you are going to bring that to school and change the lives of many students.
You will be instrumental in sending the first children of families to universities. You will be instrumental in breaking the poverty cycle of many. You will teach values that some parents may not teach. You will bring joy to many of your students' lives. More importantly, you will be a positive impact whatever you do, even if you stop being a teacher one day.
That's because of the third letter, A of the CRAP acronym, I am amazed by your growth. I remember when you first came to college, many of you were timid, some of you were forced to be there, but all of you completed the course together. You have grown through hardships and challenges. I know how many of you absolutely hated some of the culture and lecturers there. However, you amaze me by taking all the crap like a champ and for that, I am Proud.
P in this case is that I am as proud as a father can be. Proud that I saw you through most of the way on your road to graduation and proud that you all were strong in the midst of adversity. Even if there were many who said some hurtful things to all of you, I am proud that you have all learn to brush it off.
But I do feel sad
Nope, no acronyms, in feeling sad. I am genuinely sad but not in a bad way. Let me explain... First of all I am sad that I could not be with you for the ENTIRE duration of your studies. Your final years were crucial and I am sad that I could not see you through it all. However, I am unhappy/pissed at my replacement who took over from me. I believe he could have done a better job, but we will leave it at that. I am sure he has done his best.
Second of all, I am sad that things will be different when I go back to college after my studies. You all will not be around anymore and I would have to mentor another new group. Yes, time will pass and we will all be mentoring and teaching our very group of students. However, I am sad that i won't come back to you, the group that I have come to know and love over the years. As such, Mondays will be different when I have my mentoring sessions again.
Conclusion
That being said, I am happy for each and everyone of you. I do plan to fly to your graduation, I just hope that the timing will be in my favor. However, I want to end this by reiterating this. You are never inadequate no matter what people say about you. No matter how bad you think you are or how unqualified you are, you are not and you can do more than you think possible. For each and every one of you, the sky is the limit. If you choose to not be a teacher one day, I am sure you will be successful in any field you choose.
However, if you do plan to be a teacher for life, I hope to see you in the same office as me one day. I may be a teacher trainer/lecturer and I may be on a position that many perceive to be higher than a teacher, but I am not. That's because I believe that all of you are no less qualified than I am. Thus, I hope to see you reach great heights one day.
On a side note, you all have always called me 'sir' or 'Mr Alvin' as a form of respect and protocol. Now that you have all graduated, feel free to call me Alvin or anything that you want. You know, since we are teachers now. Also, there may not be any tears shed last night at the dinner, but there were some that were shed in the writing of this post.
