Happy Teachers' Day!!! :D

It's not actually 1st Sept yet, but we celebrated Teachers' Day in school today. This is the one day of the school year that I'm made to feel like a diva/ great celebrity instead of Mother Hen always clucking away (yeah, I can be quite naggy at times, especially to impish teens :p).

This day always leaves me feeling great about myself, cos I'll be left with lots of heartwarming gifts and, more importantly, beautiful memories. This year, especially, I ended up shedding tears of joy after being touched by the wonderful deeds my kids were involved in to make this day so special to me. *Happy sigh*

FROM MY CURRENT FORM CLASS...

My Sec 3 form class surprised me with a thick, creamy coffee cake, topped with my trademark smiley face (cos I always put smiley faces on their assignments if they did well... haha). Sigh, this is such a wonderful class of students, never requiring me to overly nag at them or worry about them. So touched that I just made an impromptu speech telling them about the times they've made me proud of them and thanking them for the cake (after which they started getting cheeky and began toying with the idea of getting me splattered with cake... luckily I could still assert my authority in time! :p)

Heh, this one's a T-shirt from the whole class, adorned with their colourful signatures! Heh, they ordered me to put it on immediately over my own top and parade it around school as I moved about... sure entertained quite a number of people who met me as I went about! :P

FROM MY PREVIOUS FORM CLASS...

One of the things that made me feel so warm inside was that my previous form class of two years had never forgotten me and still got together to write me their well wishes on this vanguard sheet with my pics and theirs pasted all over the second page. Pinned it up at my work cubicle next to the bear they bought me last year from build-a-bear workshop. There were words of how they missed and loved me, and also how they wanted me to always remember the fond memories we shared as a class when they were in lower sec... Aww...

FROM ALL OVER...

And above are all the rest of the sweet sweet gifts I got from individual students from all over -- form class, previous class, current subject classes, band... Just couldn't help taking a video this time for my remembrance before I pack everything. :)

SPECIAL MENTION...

Now this was one precious gift that deserves special mention. Among the giant mug of paper roses/ notes that I received from this bunch of boys from my former form class was this precious note that was written by one boy from Thailand whom I've always liked and believed to be good, but who had gotten himself into trouble before with other teachers. Reading this note unlocked a stream of tears cos it was simply too touching for words. It reminded me of what I've always wished to be able to do as a teacher -- to touch lives and make a difference. Not only is his note a reassurance to me that he's still really the good boy I've always thought him to be, but also a confirmation of how I've managed to touch his life. Oh no... wanna cry again.. CMI...

Also had the opportunity to speak with some ex-students to came back to visit us today. All in all, it was a really fulfilling day for me. :) HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY TO ALL THE TEACHERS OUT THERE! (including Hubby -- I've always thought him as a wonderful teacher, teaching his students not just school work, but also valuable lessons in life. ^_^)