Our school is having a concert to commemorate and celebrate its forty year existence. For the past three months, I've worked to children's clapping, stomping and singing...and my office colleague and I find ourselves singing along to the music, even when we're not in school.
One of the acts is done to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise". You're probably thinking what a morbid song to have kids perform to, but it is something that more than half of our kids have to deal with in their areas. It also happens to be the theme song of one of my favourite movies.
I think I became a teacher because of Dangerous Minds (for those living under a rock or born post 2000, it is a movie that centers around a new teacher who makes a big difference in the lives of a class of students). I was lying in front of the TV the other day and it was playing on one of the movie channels, and I don't know whether it was just pms or whatever, but I cried at the part where Louanne Johnson's students persuade her to stay at their school because she was their 'light'.
I find myself in a similar situation as Michelle Pfeiffer's character right now, as I have made the decision to leave my school at the end of the year. I haven't been in a classroom for the last year and a half, but I've still managed to foster relationships with the students. So many of them though come from really difficult home situations and live in the ghettos of Cape Town. They're exposed to violence, drugs, abuse...much like the children in Ms Johnson's class (except that these kids are small and it's about more than half of the school).
I'm not going to lie - some of these kids bug the hell out of me, especially the ones with attitudes and no manners. But more often than not, they have this ability to steal my heart.
Through my interactions, I've tried to instill manners and discipline in them (which I feel is very important), but I've also tried to nurture them - whether it was by co-ordinating students to write for the annual school magazine or fortnightly newsletter, playing netball with the senior team to help get them match fit, nursing their scrapes when they come to the office, or stopping to receive their hugs in the corridors.
I have my reasons for leaving. I have to start living my life, and doing things that make me happy. Change is as good as a holiday they say, but it is very scary. I am, however, more confident in my ability to navigate the unknown, and I am very happy to be leaving many of my colleagues behind.
But if I'm honest, I'm not looking forward to the sadness I know I will feel the day I have to say good-bye to my children.
One of the acts is done to Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise". You're probably thinking what a morbid song to have kids perform to, but it is something that more than half of our kids have to deal with in their areas. It also happens to be the theme song of one of my favourite movies.
I think I became a teacher because of Dangerous Minds (for those living under a rock or born post 2000, it is a movie that centers around a new teacher who makes a big difference in the lives of a class of students). I was lying in front of the TV the other day and it was playing on one of the movie channels, and I don't know whether it was just pms or whatever, but I cried at the part where Louanne Johnson's students persuade her to stay at their school because she was their 'light'.
I find myself in a similar situation as Michelle Pfeiffer's character right now, as I have made the decision to leave my school at the end of the year. I haven't been in a classroom for the last year and a half, but I've still managed to foster relationships with the students. So many of them though come from really difficult home situations and live in the ghettos of Cape Town. They're exposed to violence, drugs, abuse...much like the children in Ms Johnson's class (except that these kids are small and it's about more than half of the school).
I'm not going to lie - some of these kids bug the hell out of me, especially the ones with attitudes and no manners. But more often than not, they have this ability to steal my heart.
Through my interactions, I've tried to instill manners and discipline in them (which I feel is very important), but I've also tried to nurture them - whether it was by co-ordinating students to write for the annual school magazine or fortnightly newsletter, playing netball with the senior team to help get them match fit, nursing their scrapes when they come to the office, or stopping to receive their hugs in the corridors.
I have my reasons for leaving. I have to start living my life, and doing things that make me happy. Change is as good as a holiday they say, but it is very scary. I am, however, more confident in my ability to navigate the unknown, and I am very happy to be leaving many of my colleagues behind.
But if I'm honest, I'm not looking forward to the sadness I know I will feel the day I have to say good-bye to my children.
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