A Letter to My Children

Dear Children,

It's the last day of the school year. It's been a truly amazing year for me!

I've enjoyed myself tremendously in being the form teacher of this class. You have made me laugh so much throughout the year. The way you interact with one another, the way you argue with one another, the way you smile and laugh, the way you work with one another. Despite being nine, you are still oh-so-very cute!

Today, there was a mini prize-giving ceremony in the hall.

After that, we went back to class and played some games: 'Squirrel and Tree', 'Making Money' and 'Rojak'.

I could see that you enjoyed the games thoroughly, especially 'Rojak'. We had a ball of our time, laughing, laughing and laughing, totally enjoying one another's company!

Thank you so much for adding so much laughter and fond memories to my life, children. I'll always remember you. Don't ever feel hurt if I can't recall your names next time you call out to me, for I have so many names to remember every year. I'll remember your faces instead and the moments we share.

Having the opportunity to be your form teacher is one of the best things that's happened to me in my years of teaching. You've taught me many things yourselves and enlightened me in so many ways you'd never imagined. One of the more significant enlightenments is that you've made me see boys in a completely different light! I never knew boys can be adorable, endearing, diligent, committed to excellence, attentive, focused, active and yet sensible at the same time, and so many of you at that! Your parents must be really proud of you!

Thank you for the eye-opening experiences. I sincerely appreciate all that you've done to make this year such a memorable and valuable one for me. It's a shame that I didn't have the time to get you to write journals so as to know more about each and every one of you. I must admit that I've been very focused in gearing you more towards the academics. Even up till the second last day of school, we were still doing English worksheets. In fact, I was tempted to get you to write a letter to me to tell me how you've felt about me as your teacher today, even if you think I had been a witch, but I decided not to as I wanted you to play and have fun instead.

I still remember the time when you went to the computer laboratory to do an online survey on your teachers. Some of you told me you clicked 'Strongly Disagree' for every statement that was about me, your English teacher. I felt a little hurt but I told you I wasn't here to make you like me. I remembered that you were just children and tried to laugh it off.

I usually ask children not to give me Teachers' Day presents when nearing the Day because I don't want children to spend their parents' hard-earned money when they themselves have not started earning it, and I don't want any child to feel left out just because he or she doesn't give a present. But this year, I didn't tell you about it because I didn't think you liked me anyway, and I wouldn't give presents to someone I don't like. I was surprised that you heaped the teacher's table with presents on that Day. I felt touched that despite what you told me about what you did for the survey, you did seem to like me, judging from the evidence on the table. Thank you for your presents, children. Self-made cards would have done the job nicely, really.

Thank you for being a big part of my life. You'll make very fond memories for my teaching life for many years to come.

Do continue to work hard next year and strive for the best. To share one of my favourite quotes:
Reach for the moon. For even if you miss it, you'll be among the stars.

Love always,
Mrs Sam