The best thing about teaching at a true "high school", that starts at grade 8 and continues until grade 12 is that you get to see such amazing and dramatic changes in the students you teach. Think of the grade 8 boys that I am currently teaching. Right now, they are silly and loud and pretty goofy. And yet, over the next five years they will (or MOST will) turn into giant, calm, handsome, personable young men. It's pretty amazing to see.
The differences are most striking in boys to be sure (grade 8 girls are, on the whole, much more mature than the boys) but there are still lots of changes in the girls too.
Which brings me to Chanelle...
I have taught Chanelle for the past five years. She has always been a lovely student. In grade 8 she was a bit loud at times, lots of giggling, tended to lose focus sometimes. Nothing bad and nothing particular unique: MOST kids are like that in grade 8.
Over the past five years Chanelle has become a lot quieter, more composed, introspective, poised. She has ALWAYS had a great sense of humour but now when she is laughing I can usually understand what she is laughing ABOUT. She is kind and intelligent and just a tiny bit mysterious (sometimes she has a little smile on her face that seems to suggest she knows something that I don't).
I remember in grade 9 or 10 when Chanelle asked me about the benefits of working ahead in her Math in Summer School. Even though it's a good idea (if you plan to take Calculus 12) I found it hard to say so to her (though I did!) because I knew it would mean she would no longer be in my class (I made the decision to stick with the Grad 2020 class early on). Happily she chose to take a Science class instead that Science.
It's been five wonderful years, Chanelle. Thanks for all your hard work and all your kind words over that time. May you never lose your gentle nature and your charming personality... I am sure that you will not. Love ya, CC!!