Thirty-three reasons why I love my job.

Last year I taught kindergarten; I taught a lot of kindergarten. Five separate classes, five days a week with the same 33 kiddos.

It didn’t start out that way, I started out with Yellow Team (brand spankin’ new 5 year olds who didn’t know any English) and Blue and Purple Team ( 6 year olds who already had a year + of English). After Derik left, I inherited his students too: Green and Pink Team (7 year old graduating students).

I had my hands full, and I’m gonna be honest, sometimes I wanted to pull my hair out. I was so tired after teaching kindy that I just wanted to curl up and take a nap instead of teach the rest of my six elementary classes in the late afternoon.

There was always one fact that remained throughout the year, I absolutely adored these little troublemakers. The way they exuberantly loved and looked up to me as a teacher, it was always an encouragement to do better!

I haven’t actually written many posts about my little ones, and on my last day, my director Julie gave me the permission to snap away with my camera in class. Not all the students were enthused about getting their picture taken, so unfortunately you won’t see all 33. At least you can get a taste of the ‘goings on’ in my classroom on a daily basis!

Meet Yellow Team:
These guys are my babies, and I cannot believe how much they learned in the last year!! They went from knowing absolutely nothing to carrying on conversations about what they did on the weekends with me during class! I grew so attached to them in 12 months, I will really miss seeing their smiling faces every day.

This is Tom. He’s always been the troublemaker in class and can’t sit still for more than 30 seconds. Ever.

Katie is a cutie with a trickster personality. She loves teasing the other students.

Jennifer always thinks she knew everything. Ever since day one.

Katie getting comfortable for songs!

I-clay…pretty much the same thing as play dough but without the smell!

Lucy is always precise at what she does, taking the longest to finish anything.

Tom and his ‘people.’

Susan always loved to show me what she was up to.

Meet Blue and Purple Team:
The most opinionated, stubborn, smart, and downright silly children I’ve ever met were in these two classes. These six year olds knew how to have fun, make up stories, and read like no one’s business.

June is a camera hog. He’s even been known to snatch my phone out of my pocket and snap a few pics.

Ann is a sweetie. She is very serious about all her work!

Hyun-joon is my favorite kid. He’s so love-y and cuddly.

June. Being camera-hogish.

David is a stinker who basically will do and say the opposite of what you tell him to.

This face.

The boys and their dynamic.

Anna is a little storyteller…especially of tall tales. The more dramatic the better.

Meet Green and Pink Team:
These guys are smart…real smart. I swear 95% of them could outperform a kindergartner back in the States! Not only can these 7 year olds (um…thats 5 and 6 American age folks!) read big storybooks, but they can write journals paragraphs long. That’s in ENGLISH and not their native tongue. Talk about putting me to shame. I can barely read like a 2 year old in their language.

Derik had them from most of the year, I just took over for the last 4 months.

Annie is Derik’s favorite student. It’s no wonder…her voice and little face could melt anyone’s heart!

Alice is one of the most joyful girls I know. Unless she’s sick. Poor baby.

Ester is a happy and helpful girl who acts as everyone’s ‘big sister.’ I was so thankful to have her around!

Poor Alice was sick. She usually is one of the most bubbly students in class.

Being studious…

Best friends (Julie and Amber)

Tony…how can I explain Tony. He is often in his own little world, and is notorious for getting in trouble because he doesn’t listen.

Julie is a little sweetie who will always listen and do what the teacher says.

Amy is a little comedian and will do whatever she can to make you laugh.

Amber is always so happy when she comes to class. She has a serious ‘studious’ side to her, and gets frustrated when someone disrupts her from her schoolwork.

It’s been over a week since I’ve taught these guys, and I can truly say I will miss each and every one of them. My new schedule now consists of only a couple kindergarten classes and only two times a week. I can’t wait to get to know my new little ones!