Letters to Ms. Yee 2008-2009

Originally posted on Facebook [Notes] on June 27, 2009 

My gr. 5' students wrote letters to me at the end of the school year...here is a sampling...

Dear: Ms. Yee...

...You know, some of the facts you told me during the school year, I share it with people outside of school! The way you always added a little fun and humour to our learning really made the experience enjoyable for me. Even though you sometimes make long lectures, that shows that you really want us to learn. I remember when you also tell us stories of when you were little and about your family which a lot of us can relate to. I also sometimes look back on the time you played football at Camp Tapawingo. Wow Ms. Yee! You can sure play! A.S.

There was some funny things that happened in the walls of this class and I cant just say how nice you are to the class with all the words in the dictionary! ...and there will be one more thing I will remember for the rest of my life never settle for anything less than your best (is that how it goes?) I wish I can still be in your class. H.H.

This year was the best year in my whole life. I did have bad time but you always helped me out. For example, remember, when I got sad that my mom was in the hospital and you cheered me up. That's how you helped me out . I am very thankful for that.

Another thing I want to talk about is how caring you are Ms. Yee. You always care about everyone with a warm heart. For example, remember in camp I got a black eye, you would always ask me if I was okay with a very big warm smile...

The third thing that I want to talk about is how you are funny. How I think you are funny is how you change the topic so fast. For example, remember when we were learning about Media and H was picking her teeth and for the rest of the period you were teaching us how to FLOSS. That was so funny!!! (LOL) S.K.

Something I learned about you is you are helpful and one reason for that is in camp you helped me pack my clothes and by the way I really wanted to be in your cabin. Miss yee I will never forget everything you have done for me And of course I will never forget you. And I PROMISE I will visit you and your new grade five class. E.G.

...both of you are really funny what I really liked was at rock and chalk when you were shouting from the top that was really funny....R.I.

This was your first year as a grade 5 teacher and you handled us like a pro! You never gave up on us and always told us to do our best in everything. And here are some examples of your kindness. One example is, whenever we fail at something, you gave us a second chance. Also, you had a great sense of humour. I remember when you would fuse the humour with the work. Your jokes were always so funny! But when you were serious, you were serious. Even though the problems seemed small, they always made you angry. But in the end, you would always calm down and relax. I hope you continue to be a great teacher! R.B.

Gr. 5 Graduation ~ June 27, 2011

Graduation seems to always have this emotional effect on me that is rather neutral on the pendulum of emotions.  I did not feeling great bouts of exhilaration nor did I plunge into the bowels of sadness but I did seemingly rest quite peacefully at being grateful at watching all of our grade 5's graduate at the Ontario Science Centre this afternoon.

I felt bittersweet because when we mark an end point there's always the journey that gets you there.  And, it's this journey of 2011-2012 that brought with it many fond, frustrating and joyful moments. The traditional graduation video that is shown during the ceremony made me smile because the pictures, sounds and video brought back with it many funny and memorable moments.

I can't speak for others but I can only say that my 11th year of teaching officially came to an end during the middle of last week!  I knew my time had expired when I totally lost control of my temper and did something that I don't normally do nowadays.  I didn't hurt anyone but I wasn't very proud of what I did either.  With the marking of the end of another year, we recognize that being at the school I'm at, it's an incredibly busy place!  The rhythmic beat of the place is often so intense that it'd make Dorothy falling into a cyclone look like chump change [no joke!].  Teaching is an incredibly exhausting profession!  And, although not manually intensive, your mental capacity is stretched and further challenged as the year goes on.  In fact, there were/are many days where after dismissing my students at the end of the day, I could easily collapse for a much needed nap!

Despite the daily soap opera of student's and teacher's lives alike and the daily occurrences of teaching and everything that encapsulates that, I still love doing what I'm doing!  And, there isn't any other profession out there that I would be doing at this very moment.  There's never a dull moment or uneventful day at school.  If there were, the school would quickly turn into the insane asylum of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!   

The slump hit when there were periods of drought and several specific kids were not on their "A" game whether that was behaviour, being on time for school, academic, peer relationships, or the combination of some or ALL of them {oh dear). 

The grand slam victory would be the series of steps the students took from those early days of September to the end of June ~ whether that'd be in baby steps, trots or giant leaps! 

The bitter comes in the "goodbye" I'm not ever good with those!.  Having said this, I'm still thankful for the time I was given the great privilege to be their teacher...one of their gr. 5 teachers...I will miss them dearly!

I have great expectations for my students and I expect that they will do BIG things in life...I expect greatness from each of them & of course, I wish them nothing but success in their journeys ahead...

At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel - Maya Angelou

At the end of the year, it's been a tradition for my gr. 5 students to write a series of letters including one to me.  I was curious to see what they wrote and having already had a couple of "crybaby" days at school, I was so close to unleashing again as I read over their words to me...Below is one that particularly touched me...

It isn't always important to know the immediate impact you have on a child because that may come a year, 2 months, a day or even 15 years down the road.  What is important is to treasure each and every moment...

Calling it "another year"...& taking off the "teacher hat" for the summer (yeah right! Haha!),

-S.

The Daily Sales Pitch

Every single day, I walk into school having a uniquely blessed energy that has joy blissfully drizzled all over it. The only thing that I can profess is that in seeking God's grace daily, I firmly believe in his provisions for me. Yes, there are days when I've slept little to zero the night before or where my mood is crusty even before I set foot into the building BUT having said that, there is this amazingly subtle, loving and reassuring joy that's settled comfortably in my being.

Since I was a kid, I've always adored children...having this connection & being drawn to them. This I can't explain either. I only know that I feel my most natural self when I am in the midst of children whether that'd be in the guise of playing, reading, chatting or teaching. Fast forward to my role as a teacher and I know that I find joy in being with my students...being their teacher, listening, teaching, reprimanding, establishing rapport, caring, laughing, smiling...

Every single day I walk into my classroom, I am a salesperson presenting the next or newest sales pitch to beautiful young minds. The question of the day is not what they will learn today but what ideas will they buy into today?  Man, that's such a powerful honour!


The teaching journey continues...

Coming Full Circle

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is a vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." Carl Jung

As a young child I didn't particularly fancy school and learning. The thought of studying and school work was just downright boring and insanely annoying. My vocabulary at such a young age only included one serious word: "play"! The allure of school came in the guise of athletics. "Sport" was everything to me. Throughout elementary school to high school I always had exceptional teachers who encouraged and nurtured both my interests and joys. They really paid attention and saw where my interests lay and allowed me to thrive and begin to "like school" from that starting point. School = sports
Two paramount moments that really affected my sense of identity at school and really helped me to find my niche and place were the following:

1) My elementary school Principal was Mr. Petrou and he was the most amazing and gentle human being who unequivocally supported my love for sport (I still remember his office having small carcass' laying around that he had collected! Ha!). He coached our school's Cosom floor hockey team. I was most smitten by his attitude towards my participation and encouragement despite being a girl. That reality didn't seem to derail his coaching decisions and ultimately, he allowed me to play between the pipes in the championship game for our division. As the back-up goalie, I knew that my chances to play were slim but at the last minute, the boy who was the regular goalie got suspended for fighting in the school yard and Mr. Petrou called on me to start in the finals! As a result of his actions, attitude & encouragement, it made me believe that despite gender, working hard and giving a dedicated 100% could help you to excel. Mr. Petrou made me a believer and it was his influence and example that provided that motivation, surge & encouragement to participate in sport right through to high school. Before I end, I must share one of the most amazing moments of my childhood...As I mentioned, I was in goal for the final game of the championship game when after a hotly contested match, we prevailed over our opponent to win the division pennant. After the game, we were lining up to shake hands when I lifted my goalie mask. Some of the player's jaws dropped to the ground as they noticed that I was a girl! I suppose the reaction was one of shock - shock that a girl could show up and actually play some hardcore hockey! Suckers, that was a terrific crowning moment of glory [I humbly kept my composure despite loving every moment of observing the player's reactions. I just kept it inside...a quiet monumental moment of triumph!]

2) My High School Guidance Counselor & Softball Coach
Through sport, I learned the fundamental values of commitment, dedication and a good work ethic. It is here that I gained a glimpse of what it meant by going that proverbial extra mile. Mary-Lou Parissi was not only a mentor, my guidance counselor, and coach but a genuine and caring individual who I greatly valued and appreciated. Due to school policy, in order for me to be able to remain on school teams I had to maintain a 70% academic average. This was the "motivation" that pushed me to work hard in my classes so that I could keep my grades up to avoid being kicked off any team. Whether that was right or not is besides the point because eventually, being on various school teams in high school particularly softball taught me to translate the attitude of hard work into my studies. So, naturally, because of my ongoing love for sport and dedication to specific teams, this attitude eventually translated into how I felt about school. I believe in the taste of success in that once you taste it, you surely want more!

These two prominent individuals had long lasting positive impressions in my life. Their actions and words echoed throughout the years in helping to imprint and shape the individual that I have become and the teacher I am now many years later.

As a result of such positive influences and currently being a in a position of great privilege as a teacher, I have become a huge advocate of providing ample opportunities for children to participate in sport and athletics. Whether it be a school team, extra-curricular intramural sports, or simply a gym class, outlets such as these can be
the most important vehicle in which life skills are planted, nurtured and grown. They can be sacred places of comfort, familiarity, release and extreme joy. Furthermore, it can be the place where self-esteem and self confidence blossom into beauty. And, these opportunities can be places where children realize that there is giftedness and opportunities for further skill development become a possible reality to pursue - a place where dreams are born, nurtured and given a chance.

Children find interests and places of belonging in school. Their "in" can be in any area that encompasses all that is indicative of school life including classes, clubs, and teams. My job is to help these students find success in whatever avenue they should decide to pursue in school but in order to do so, opportunities need to be provided to help them to discover what it is that captures their interest, joy and happiness.

There is no greater joy than being able to impart the same joy and awesome opportunities that I was able to benefit from as a young child to the students I interact with.

My journey in teaching is still quite young and this profession certainly humbles me each and everyday. Many roads have traversed to lead me to this, the 12th year of my teaching career. Many uphill battles, tears, laughs, and incredible moments. As I reflect on my current state as a teacher, one truth is foresure. I know this life...this career as an educator is without a doubt, a serious and demanding yet completely rewarding and fulfilling calling.

Rays of Sunshine & Drizzles of Delight

The past little while has been immensely joyful. In fact, I've been overjoyed primarily in witnessing some powerful movements that my students have made in their overall performance at school, be it academics or behaviour. To any teacher, I think it's safe to say that when you see children begin to transform, heading down the right path, making those steps towards improvement and reaching higher planes towards discovering their potential, one cannot help but to be overwhelmed with indescribable JOY. Of late, my heart has been overwhelmed with this gleeful feeling and I'm thankful for the encouragement because it motivates me to push and encourage my students even more. Actually, the best word would be I hope to instill inspiration, motivation and aspiration in the lives of these young people. I have passion for teaching and I was affirmed of that greatly today as I shared my feelings with my grade 5 students. I told them how proud I was of each of them, to see them be able to make a purposeful decision to give of their best in all that they do. If there was an inkling of inspiration or even a fragment of motivation in my speech, I would have done my job. Sometimes, I feel that these children need to have a fire lit from underneath them before they get rolling...sometimes it takes awhile and at other times, it takes a shorter period of time. Some children work faster and progress and develop faster than others. With so many variables to consider, I still firmly believe that hope needs to be extended to children and certainly opportunities for them to find success need to be provided. As I was sharing with them this afternoon and affirming there good work and encouraging them to push even more, I got the sense that some were emotionally moved and maybe a few were getting teary-eyed! One thing that they know about their Ms. Yee is that I'll never mix mash my words with my students and the truth will always reign supreme.

Another reason for my giddy joy is in recognizing the many simple gifts in life: family, friendship,the joy of food and cooking, smiles and laughter. I give thanks because each is like a breath of fresh air that pulsates the daily rhythm of my life. I'm learning to count my blessings & to acknowledge every good gift that comes from the Father. If I don't practise this habit routinely, I can get lost in an environment of negativity & hopelessness can often suck me right in where I can become a part of grimness and darkness and not of the light.

I believe firmly that teaching is my passionate calling in life. And, this past week, I was affirmed with great JOY, an overwhelming satisfaction & the gratifying feeling a teacher can have when there's change, no matter how big or small. The smiles on my boys and girls, their jokes and innocence (okay, okay, maybe even sometimes their not-so-innocent selves), as well as their laughter, can completely drive me nuts but make me realize how thankful I am to be so privileged to be a part of their education and lives.

Until next time I'm gripped to write the next episode of my journey in teaching...Thanks for reading!
~S.

An Air of Entitlement

Kids these days come to school with an a rather putrid air of entitlement...
Entitlement
def.[noun]
the fact of having a right to something...

I believe firmly in a child’s right to education however, there are too many instances where children feel that their actions have no consequences when in fact, their actions can off-sprout so many other things. Accounting for one's actions is at an all time stand still (and when I get involved in asking culprits questions the first thing that they normally say is, "He..she...". Assuming ownership for one's choices & actions is next to non-existent. And, get this, some kids have the audacity to front a broken face when being spoken to about what they did!?!

Many students these days come to expect many things to be done for them and so they have this ingrained laziness demeanour. It’s almost as though they have lack of motivation, poor-like-the pits attitude & learned helplessness. There’s a lot of hand holding such as parents holding their kid’s backpack. Are you kidding me??? . Pick-up your own bag son/daughter! I suppose this is the dilemma and the crossroads that we need to face as we work collectively with the parents to reconcile habits that are instilled at home and than what goes on at school. This is generally a good point of contention during Parent/Teacher interviews!

A case in point
All extra-curricular activities including sports and clubs are strictly voluntary for teachers. Any planned field trips are a privilege for children & not a right...In this day and age, where teachers are stretched to the limit, maybe they don’t want to go the extra mile to call around organizing trips, transportation, collecting money and fill out crazy permission forms. This would especially true if kids weren’t safe and especially if they didn’t deserve it. So, I believe that other types of consequences need to be explored before telling a child that he/she will miss an extra-curriculuar activity due to misbehaviour(s). Being a child who lived, dreamt & ate extra-curricular house league sports, I thrived at school primarily for those opportunities. I was smart though. I kept myself out of trouble & got my homework done because I knew that the consequences that I would suffer would include having those privileges taken away because I knew that I was NOT entitled to those opportunities that teachers provided in their spare time.

Many young people often walk around feeling like the world owes them a big deal when they have yet to contribute anything meaningful to society. They walk around behaving without scruples and in many cases, without any moral values or respect for others. You may be saying, that’s very unfair to say Sophia!. However, I would argue that I’m generalizing in the sense that I speak from my experience and of what I see around me, on public transportation, bus stations, out in public space and in the schools.

There seems to be a lack of responsibility for one’s actions and a confusion about the consequences & ramifications if one chooses certain negative behaviours and paths...So, this is where I'm drawn back to...a student or child's sense of entitlement...they are entitled to a right to education, to be safe, to feel validated as a learner, etc. however, they need to earn and deserve privileges such as extra-curricular clubs, activities & trips. I believe that as you show that you can handle and be trusted with the choices you have been given, then more doors of opportunity, freedom & choice will be rewarded to you.

Jack-of-Trades
Here's a little flavour of what I mean...
Teacher's don't only teach...[rolling my eyes & giggling]...that's WHAT we're supposed to do & with all those ministry curriculum learning expectations to cover! Teachers need to be a:

•Psychologist (b/c we can't prescribe drugs!)
[calm the deeply emotional individuals & walk/talk them through problem solving situations and working out their feelings ~ yeah, we talk about feelings...all that good stuff ] AND we don't have a sofa + pillow. It's called, "Sit down on the carpet!"

• Referee
[break-up fights (whether verbal, physical or both)]

• Councillor
[address & deal w/ issues of bullying]

• Doctor
[when a child gets a boo boo, they require ice, a band-aid; Btw, I don't do lice, I leave that up to the "office experts" (ha ha)

• Coach
[Encourage students to achieve their great potential]

• Clown
[What's teaching without comic relief?]

• Storyteller
[Share my own life experiences w/ my students]

• Accountant
[Count trip money, deal w/ school invoices, purchases, etc.]

• Educator
[Includes all the above while helping students discover their natural abilities/talents while challenging them to greatness!]

Why did I just insert a "Jack-of-all-trades" flavour above? It's because we've just completed 4 months of school and I'm still working on behaviour while dealing w/ many of the above issues...oh yeah, throw in the fact that I also teach curriculum material such as the Government of Canada in gr. 5 Social Studies!
Inherent in my philosophy of education as a teacher is establishing good & sound behaviour management along with developing a solid rapport with the students in my classroom. If I don't have this firmly established, I believe I cannot successfully teach. That is why although it has been already 4 tough & challenging months, I'm still hammering routines & expectations and reminding (ad nauseam & painstakingly) the children about making positive choices and the expectations that I have of them WHILE demanding nothing but their best in ALL in all that they do.

To be continued..

The Week that Was....

This week was a fantastic week at school. After a challenging 1st term, report card period, and interviews, my grade 5 students are showing me that not only do they have the ability to make consistently positive choices BUT that they can change & be better, not settling for anything less than their best!

This year's group of 24-25 students has been shall I say an interesting and challenging bunch. Although I only spend 1/2 the day with them, they require an influx of energy that ends up being very taxing on me. They are a group of unique, funny, & enjoyable children however the challenges are very evident. Academic performance & capabilities, attitude towards hard work and challenges, as well as being responsible for their own learning...these have all been things that we've taken a close microscopic look at this year so far...although at times, it looked like I was going to raise up the white flag of surrender however, what I preach to the kids, I must do myself...Don't give up!. I may be insane or maybe teaching is just my thing but although my students drive me up the wall & drive me crazy at the worst of times, I still find myself very devoted and caring towards each one of them. My passion in life is my work with children and all the students who I have the privilege of interacting with. So even when I feel like I'm down & out, I can still rise above because this calling has been given to me as a gift in life.

This week was a stellar week and each of my students showed glowingly how they can improve in their own way: Less interruptions, quicker transition time, less calling out, less put downs, being responsible to seek extra help when required, listening attentively, encouraging one another, trying more harder to break their negative habits (e.g., shouting out or talking so loudly), being more organized, etc... The season is still quite young however the urgency is very visibly here & as we continue to "prepare" the kids for an important transition year heading into middle school, we can't rest on our laurels, & trudge to a stagnating beat at our current plateau, but we must progress forwards, carefully, diligently, and ever aware that we have to work hard to constantly improve and to reach for all that potential that's within.

Here's hoping to bigger & better things to come....

The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Adapted for Gr.1/2

This Wed., the teacher of my gr. 1/2 gym class whispered to me that her class has been having problems with telling the truth...so I decided to dedicate 4.2 mins. of the class to telling them a story...

Putting on my serious face & my storyteller hat...I began with...

There once was a boy who loved playing. One day, he was playing with a ball in the backyard when he tried to catch it & happened to trip into a small hole and twist his ankle. Although he was completely okay, he screamed like no tomorrow because he felt like it. His father heard his cries for help and quickly arrived on the scene. As he was tending to his son, the boy pretended to cry his sobs so convincingly before he screamed like no tomorrow and said, "Ha ha father, I was only kidding. Upon hearing this, his father was rather disappointed and with a heavily concerned look about him, he warned his son that due to his scream, he thought his son was in trouble and feeling as such, he ran frantically to his aid. Be a good boy he said and left.

The next day, the boy played in front of the house. He was pretending to fly like an airplane when he tripped over a mid-size rock and fell to the soft dirty and wet ground. Because of his dirty and uncomfortable state, he screamed like no tomorrow. His father heard his cries for help and quickly arrived on the scene. "My sweet boy, my sweet boy, are you okay?" As the father knelt down beside his son, the boy quickly lifted his hands from his face and yelled out, "ha ha, I tricked you...nothing's the matter..." Upon hearing this, his father was rather disappointed and with a heavily concerned look about him, he warned his son that due to his scream, he thought his son was in trouble and feeling as such, he ran frantically to his aid. Be a good boy he said and left.

The following week, the boy went to explore the deep forest. He ventured for twenty or so minutes before he settled on a log to rest his feet. As he was sitting there, he suddenly heard some footsteps echoing off the leaves on the ground. He didn't hear the shuffling of one set of feet BUT of many. As he turned his head towards the footsteps, he saw not one BUT 4 wolves! Upon seeing this, he got up & began to sweat profusely with his chest beating a mile a minute. He retreated towards the tree behind him and quickly followed that with his biggest scream for help His father was in the backyard chopping firewood when he heard his son's cries for help however, he remembered very vividly how he had been tricked and lied to before. So he just decided to ignore the scream as he thought his son was playing with him again.

At this point, I take my fists & pound them softly on the ground to mimic the wolves feet creeping up...

Children, do you know what happened to the boy?

With mouths open & big eyeballs listening attentively..., the kids gulped a big glup and leaned slowly forward yearning for me to continue...
He got chomped up! Done...DEAD!

Why did this happen? Because each of the two previous times, the boy tricked his father into believing that he needed help when he didn't and as such, he had lied ...

If you lie and lie, and get into this awful habit, the ONE TIME you do decide to tell the truth, no one, absolutely no one will believe you.

THE END

Let's hope that the children learn to be honest & to speak the truth...