An Ode To Teaching...

from pbase.com

I started off this crazy year

With some hope and a lot of fear.

How on earth was I meant to teach

When patience was so far from reach?

How could I ever gain control

When I could not be stern at all?

Would I simply go round the bend?

But in I went, at the deep end

With 16 kids under my wing

Who needed help in everything-

Then 3 weeks later, parent’s night

Along with a pneumonia fright.

But things soon began to improve

As I once more started to move.

Soon I got back into the flow

Of school, and slowly got to know

All of my students- how they work-

And quickly discovered the main perk

Of teaching- each child’s unique

And gives you their own brand of cheek!

For us teachers the real test

Is bringing out each child’s best

And making sure that they believe

How much they really CAN achieve.

Reports were not such a disaster;

Writing them made me the master

Of adjectives and the praising phrase

Even if they sent me into a daze!

I think that it just goes to show

That sometimes when you think you know

Who you are, and what you can do-

You really do not have a clue!

I thought my patience would wear thin,

That I’d assert no discipline-

And yes, sometimes I found it hard

When a kid caught me right off guard-

But mostly I just kept my cool

And was strict without being cruel,

(On the whole) the kids took my word

And did not think I was absurd

(Well, not that I knew, anyway!)

So, what else is there to say?

My fellow teachers- what a bunch,

I’ve enjoyed our chats over lunch,

You’ve made it hard for me to go-

So kind and helping me to grow

In confidence about my teaching,

Supporting me without preaching.

So vinaka, my teacher friends-

And before this little rhyme ends

I must thank each and every one

Of my students for all the fun

And smiles you’ve brought me each day-

You’ve also made me want to stay.

You’ve made me laugh, you’ve made me think,

You’ve often driven me to drink

And made me think I’ve lost the plot…

But damn, I’ll miss you lovable lot.

from bbc.co.uk

 P.S Will get round to taking some of my own pictures soon!