Last Day of Third Grade

Well, today was my last day as Third Grade teacher at East-West International School. Next year, I'll be a Fourth Grade teacher again. This has been a fun year, and I've learned many things alongside my students. Here's a glimpse of our day. Sorry no photos today.

Settle in, and distribute memory cards to students. They enjoyed reading the messages I had written for each of them at the end of their memory page. I keep the originals and they get a typed copy with a personal note at the end, along with their own photo. Usually I try and have a proper photo, but having moved house, they just got black & white photos printed as part of the document. They didn't mind.

After that it was time for a jigsaw puzzle marathon! Students worked in pairs or on their own, on puzzles ranging from 24 piece to 100 pieces. I'm looking forward to giving them some new 100 piece puzzles to work on after the holidays (purchased at a "leaving" sale recently). Several students completed some really challenging puzzles (a puzzle full of cupcakes, and another that is just lollies (candy)) and all enjoyed themselves doing them.

After recess, we divided the class as we would for Khmer/English lessons, and I think the Khmer classes played games in Khmer (totally appropriate for the last day of school), and the English classes packed up all their books and papers in their backpacks to go home, and helped me clear the walls of posters and vocab frogs and other assorted items. They also did some cleaning of laminated items as well. Those not otherwise engaged were busy enjoying a final silent reading session. Meanwhile I continued sorting and packing! One disadvantage of  changing grade levels is that I need to move classrooms (up to the 4th floor - even more exercise next year), and that means everything has to be packed up into boxes to facilitate the move. I kept running out of boxes! Life's like that.

Anyway, back the report on the final day. Next came lunch, and then I went on the scrounge for some more boxes, and also went to buy more packaging tape. I knew I had two more rolls at home, but I'm just not quite sure where they are yet! I've still got quite a few boxes to unpack! My colleagues very helpfully agreed to let me continue packing through swimming (normally we have four teachers swimming and a spotter) but since we were having a free swim today, they said three would be OK. Thanks N & M. That meant I had most of the classroom library packed by the time the students came back from swimming and PE (boys swimming & girls PE after lunch), and also had their gift bags set out and the books all displayed ready for them to choose from. That was a fun time, and I think everyone went away happy. I didn't hear any complaints. Finally, they had about 15 minutes to enjoy sharing their new books with each other or starting reading them! We headed downstairs then, and it was time to say Goodbye. Happily there were no tears. At this stage we expect most of the students to be returning next year, although one is definitely leaving to go to Australia to live. I will miss her, but she's promised to e-mail! Even if I just get one e-mail that will be fun!

Finally I headed back to the classroom to continue the packing process. I didn't quite get finished, so will have to go back tomorrow or Monday afternoon. Monday morning sees the start of Summer School. So far we have 22 students in our Grade 3-5 group. I'll be working with another teacher and a Khmer assistant. Our theme for Summer School is science & inventions, so it should be lots of fun!

Tomorrow I have lots of jobs to do, running around across town, like getting my moto serviced, trying to replace a part of a fan that got broken in the move, and other jobs like that. For now, it's time for bed. It's been a busy week, and I've got a rotten cold just to top it off! Hopefully I'll be better by Monday!