akujunkan: (Default)
akujunkan ([personal profile] akujunkan) wrote2006-07-07 11:29 pm
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Today was my last day at one of my two elementary schools. I will miss the kids horribly, but it was very satisfying in the end because I was not enjoying myself during the classes, which reassured me that I made the right decision in turning down the 4th and 5th year position they kept offering me.

I should probably mention Sora. Sora is a first grader with major developmental problems. He certainly has ADD, is rather oblivious to his surroundings, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he suffers from tourettes. The teachers are often pretty exasperated with him, the other kids tend to bully him a little (and he often plays right into their hands). But he's also cheerful and very approachable.

Anyway, the first-grade teacher told the class accompany me back to the staff room today after I'd finished teaching them. I was immediately swarmed by 30 kids. Sora fought his way to the center, latched onto my arm and started talking without paying any regard to whether or not I was speaking to someone else--nothing unusual there. But he was staring at the ground, which was rather unlike him.

And then I realized what he was saying: "Thank you so much for always talking to me. Take care of yourself."

Oh my god, kid, why not take your Board of Education-issue compass and stab me in the heart with it?

Not sad to leave the job, but damn I'm going to miss these kids.

That will be all.