Everyone's been to Korea...

Hey there! Cindy here.


Until today I had not told my class that I wasn't returning next year. Grade one is a very special and sensitive world. Remembering the crying fits that occurred two years ago when I told my wee grade ones that I was going to Australia, I was trying to avoid telling this class that I was leaving at all.


I love my class. They are an adorable bunch of unique characters. Truly my dream class. There are only 14 of them, and they all have very strong personalities. They make me smile and laugh all day long. Every morning as I open the classroom door, I am greeted with smiles, giggles, "Wow you look NIIIIIICE", and the view of 14 kids all hugging each other. They are honestly happy to be at school. And I am honestly happy they are there too. I am totally in love with all of them.

Today, when Jaelynn started asking me what grade I would be teaching next year, I knew the secret was up. Jaelynn is a persistent little one. She always gets her answers. So I sat them all down on the carpet and calmly told them that next year I would not be at Hillcrest. I explained that instead I would be teaching kids in another country called Korea and that I hoped to see them all again when I got back. SILENCE. I waited for the crying. Or any reaction at all. SILENCE. Then finally Adam said "Oh Korea. Yeah I've been there. Everyone's been there." And then they all chimed in. "I went there last summer." "My Nan took me there for Christmas." "I was born there." Not the reaction I was expecting. AND I think perhaps there should be more in the way of world maps in the grade one curriculum! As I sent them off to complete their butterfly lifecycle booklets, one little girl stayed behind. She wrapped her arms around me and whispered "I will miss you" and then fluttered (as in actually danced like a butterfly) back to her seat. Sigh. They make my heart melt. Even the ones that throw their shoes over the fence at recess.