Attachment Issues

Sometimes, looking at these kids, they're so cute and I adore them so much, I could cry.

Looking at the pics I've just taken a day or hours ago, I sort of shake up inside, already anticipating the goodbyes I'll have to say.

The children know how to make me laugh, intentionally or not. They have so much potential in them. I'm not used to working in such a classroom setting, I never did that back home. It was always brief visits to classrooms, working with small groups or individual children. I haven't had the opportunity to see them and work with them as a class, over multiple years.

I am invested in these kids' progress. I love taking the time to read to them, whether I am obliging their request, or they are obliging mine. Today, Wendy asked me "I want to read, Miss Sarah, just you and me." She and I had read many short, fun poems by Douglas Florian the other day, and I was impressed with how well she was reading and how she didn't get nervous or discouraged at stumbling. Two years ago, she was a quiet, unresponsive person to me.

Grade 6 has become a personal quest this year. We're getting to know each other, the students, Miss Eleanor and myself, to see how we can best work together. It's been a positive start, and I'm hoping next term will go even better, as we get them ready to take their exam to get into secondary school. These guys were strong students in Grade 4, with Maisie, some stayed involved in things last year, and now in Grade 6, Maisie and I have big plans for them; Eleanor is well into her teacher training as well, and has the potential to give them the attention needed. I hope we can all work together. As I told them I would be gone next week for meetings in Town, and how tomorrow is a holiday so I wouldn't come to their class, they were calling for me to come in today, instead. Getting to spend one-on-one time with most of them is exciting, trying to get them to work at home with attentive family members is exciting, as well. We're really hoping to get a high number of passes this year - not only that, but a high number who are more prepared to enter adolescence.

Helen, Shannon, Merisa, Cheryl, Rosana, Harrington, they'll have no problem. Michelle, Sathia, Alex, they could do it if they weren't so quiet. Lucilyn, Ednei, Meriza, Jacqueline, they could do it if they knew they could. Salman, Jason, they could do it if they got a little more serious and threw their personalities into their studies. Eloisesa and Michael can't hardly read, but they have such heart and zest to attempt whatever I put in front of them. Tachine and Devon need such basic attention, I want to see how they could perform if they were given it.

The nursery kids are so cute; I can't believe Grade 2 kids are already in Grade 2 - they were nursery kids when I first came. My first grade 6 class are big grade 8 kids now, I had the pleasure of reading a chapter book with them during lunch hour last month; Volda, Avalinda, Synesius, Jeremiah, Karoline all were such good readers. Jenkins, Odinan, Wreford are three boys with such impish personalities, they just need a little encouragement to be good big boys and get involved in the different development going on in the village...

I don't know how I'll be able to walk away from them all.