Kindergarten Talent Show & Graduation (and some reflection)

My kinders graduated not too long ago.  We worked really hard on skits and costumes and choreography and it was a cute, cute show.  Most of my pics are from dress rehearsal and backstage, cause teachers didn't sit in the audience, of course.  I hope I can get a copy of the official DVD sometime - I'm so proud of my little kinders!  I miss them tons. 

Getting ready for dress rehearsal with Libra Class

Some of my amazing co-workers!

Ballet rehearsal

Fan Dance rehearsal

Video of Fan Dance!!!

Sneaking a peek ^^

Traditional Korean Drum performance rehearsal

Deborah and me posing with the stage backdrop that reminds me of Wonderland

Sound check 

Then the show started!

Chillin backstage with Florida Class

Some of the costumes were a little... unexpected... for 6-7 year olds...

...like Brant's pink cat costume 

...and Alice's bunny costume 

My beautiful Libra girls getting ready for Fan Dance!

Transition from talent show costumes to graduation robes... sniff sniff!

My little babies, all grown up!

Bahaha soooo, not really grown up at all.  But! They grew so much while I had them.  I'm blown away when I think about last year.  I struggled a lot with teaching kinders at first, cause it is SO different than the secondary students I was used to!  After about 3 months I finally felt comfortable in the classroom.  After 6 months, I began to see real progress in their abilities speaking, understanding, reading, and writing in English.  After a full year?  Just, wow.  My students did such a great job!  They're little sponges that want love and attention and I loved loving them!  I don't really miss *teaching* kindergarten, but I really loved the year.  I loved hanging out with my kiddos and going on field trips, I loved theme days and times that I could relax a little with them between *ahhh-hurry-up-and-finish-the-dang-bookwork!!!* moments. I miss the constant hugs and kissses and cuddles that I got from my babies. I miss that a lot.

I recognize that *my* students aren't students at Brighton Kindergarten anymore and that has made missing them easier (though many of them go to JLS (the after-school English academy in the same building)).  Graduation was the end of an era. They walked across the little stage, bowed for 엄마 (eomma/mommy) and 아빠 (appa/daddy) and that was it.

A few hugs later, they walked out the doors and I moved to Jeonju.

I left a job I enjoyed, great co-workers, and a plethora of great memories. (And maybe a few annoying memories that get better with age.)

...

Now, I love my new job, new city, new co-workers. I am blessed beyond belief to be here and I am more suited to teach older students than young ones, but I value the year I had at Brighton.  I never (ever) expected to teach little kids, so the challenge was unanticipated and, well, challenging.  Funny how God uses circumstances we would have never foreseen to teach us beautiful lessons.  To grow us in powerful ways.  I wouldn't trade it.



To everyone I got to know at Brighton/JLS:
Thank you. It was a great year.
Love, Zara