EN - Days with My Students

At the school garden

January 7th was the first day back after the winter break. I was happy to see my students after the 2-week winter break!

I could tell that some of them grew taller even in two weeks! Their growth rate is amazing. But then, one or two cried saying, "I forgot my homework at home..." Ahahaha :D  They're still the same in an endearing way.

On the first Sunday after the school resumed, I was accompanied by two computers to finish the report cards for the second quarter...
And to consolidate files between the two, so that I can save them in my external hard drive. (One computer is school's, and the other one is mine.)

This was not taken at school, but these are my students playing tags at a park.

One day, for the last 15 minutes of the school hours, until the bell rang, I played chain tag with my 23 second-graders. I couldn't run with my sandals, so I took them off and ran around bare foot. (The ground is grass covered soil.) I was quite serious. Well, really serious to be precise.

If I ran seriously, I was still faster than them, but I couldn't have a small turning circle like they could, so it was difficult to get them. When I finally got some and ran around while holding their hands, the winds ran with us, and it reminded me of my childhood. I used to run with the wind. It was a happy feeling. I can't wait to do it again.

At the same time, I thanked the fact that they can run around so freely with a nice view of the blue ocean. I thought of the children in Fukushima who cannot stand on the earth with their bare foot...

Our classroom visitor.
I noticed that the kids were staring at the wall, so I approached wondering what it might be.
It was a big spider.

After I grabbed it with a tissue, I placed it outside the classroom. I told the children, "It came to see you studying hard."

I saw a double rainbow over the school building after work.

I caught a cold on Sunday. On Monday, I had something important, and I felt pretty well, so I went to work. On Tuesday (today), I had an important meeting, and the minor fever I had the previous night was totally gone, so I went to work. I wore a mask to keep my germs to myself. The children were stunned when they saw me :D They thought I was a dentist or a doctor. That's right. Wearing a mask when you are sick (or to prevent sickness) is not as common as it is in Japan.

Hawaiian Studies

Teaching job is NEVER ending.... (any job can be)...

One thing after another...

It is a job dealing with very fresh, ever-growing, lovable creatures.

Everyday is a serious business working with shining ore.

Kayden + Rain from Nicole Byon on Vimeo.

I am blessed everyday to see this world through eyes of my students.

They remind me how beautiful this world is, how precious this life is, and how lovable we, humans are, just like how this girl did it for me.

When I see the world through their eyes, and when I return to their eyes from the world, I am reminded that these precious beings are in my hands, and that I have a tremendously important role and responsibility, which is to protect them, nurture them, and prepare them to fly out to the world.