Hong kong hong kong!!!

Two weeks ago I was still sad from not seeing my kids... Now I have contact with one fifth of them, lol! Anyway, hk has been nothing short of fun. And hot. And expensive. And talk about hunting down Internet access!!!!! Lol so lucky to have Internet at home. Sometimes I feel like I've never really left hk at all. Everything's so familiar - the noise, the sights, the speed, the people, the cockroaches eeeekkkkkkksssss!!!!!!! SO GLAD we don't have those in Canada as well!!!!! Someday I'll upload some hk pics. iPad is not the most picture friendly device. Au revoir !!

Life goes on way too fast...

I'm still taking in all the sadness of leaving my PM school and now I talk to some of the kids almost on a daily basis, lol!

I still miss you guys. I'm going to decently inspect all the things you have given me when I come back from HK cuz right now life is way too hectic. I just spent the past 4 days cleaning up my things at my mom's apt, and have't even started packing for HK. Truth is that, I don't feel like going back that much. Everything's happening way too fast.

Oh well.

I hope you guys are having a decent summer =) Treasure these days cuz when you get to high school you'll be spending your summer in school doing summer courses!!! Which is not a bad thing, considering that you get to see your buddies =)

Have a great summer everyone!! I'll try to post often in HK but without internet connection at home, I might be hard!! =)

Perfect!!!!

=D =D =D =D =D

OH NO!!! Forgot to take a pic of the farewell composite!!!!!

=(
=(
=(

Would anyone be kind enough to take a picture of it and send it to me...??? I don't have a pic with all of you =(

My love affair with 50 kids.

This was kinda how it happened:

Sept 11 - ok....
Oct 11 - get me out of here, quick
Nov 11 - Feb 12 - get me out of here, NOW!
Mid Feb 12 -  the kids might be alright after all.
March 12, Math Night - wow. the staff actually work together for something for the kids! i like the staff!
March 12, student vs teacher v-ball - the kids are alright after all!
March Break 12 - when are we going back to school?
After March Break - there's only 3 and a half months with the kids?
April - oh no. I won't be seeing the kids after June.
May - only 1 more month left? What am I gonna do without them?
June - *sob*
Today - I love you all.

Moments that I will remember - gd AND bad things:

Train's Class:
- VJ's constant chatter, my constant "VJ stop.", his stopping and guilty look, and the restart of the whole thing 5 secs later
- attitudes! all those "Oh why can't we get Ms. M. back?"
- line ups and ppl always standing at the back of the portable (for whatever strange reasons!) I'm so hated at my other school cuz I got them to practice line up during recesses, lol!
- all your "Ms Tam, ___ did this to me!"s
- Ms. A's fan at the back of them room
- crazy hotness on EQAO days and looking at you guys working so hard under the heat, and feeling really sorry for you
- beautiful singing
- "you're going to miss us?" in a very surprised way.
- "you hate us don't you?" in a very casual way.


Rudd's Class:
- constant talking, from the whole class, that drives me crazy every single time/ day/ minute.
- ppl leaving the room WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!
- hostility!
- Mr. J beatboxing to the ABC song
- My yelling at Mr Y and some other ppl yelling back "Oh wow even Y's getting in trouble!" (lol I don't even rememeber what happened)
- "All is well" from Mr A. Out of nowhere. And how you guys reacted afterwards
- George Clooney!
- Andy Lau!!!! (and Mr. Y ALMOST guessing my age! that was close lol!)
- the moment when someone from the third row (either Mr A or Y) asked why I was going back to HK in Feb, how I hesitated for a sec and decided to tell.
- ppl who never want to leave the room at the end of the day
- training certain individuals to sing

Both:
- G. B. A.!!!!!!!!! you guys are crazily good!
- students vs teachers v-ball game: i would have been cheering out loud and screaming were i not a teacher. i get VERY animated and loud when watching sports. i really regretted not playing then, and kinda told myself that I would so do it if the chance arises, which happened when we had....
- students vs teachers b-ball!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg luckily I got 1 in!!!!!! if not I'd really need to dig a hole and hide myself!
- how crazy some of you are (lol)
- how you guys made me laugh, and how I tried to hold on to my poker face and failed.
- after school singing practices
- all your performances. I was gonna give you guys an air kiss but for whatever reason that didn't happen, lol!
- bowling trip. sadly no pics were taken =(
- talent show
- grad! =')
- watching you guys playing on the field was the best out of all =)

Must have missed some. I'm too tired from all the emotions experienced today. I'll add them as I recall them. What are the 2 or 3 things that you guys will remember?

Today; tomorrow.

Seeing my kids all pretty and handsome is the cutest.
Seeing them coming up onto the stage one by one, graduating grade 6 is the most satisfying.
Having them sing for me for one last time is the most bittersweet.
Seeing them enjoying their time with family and friends is the happiest.

Knowing that I probably won't ever see them again after tomorrow is the saddest.
Saying bye will be the toughest.

And the weirdest is, I don't even know why I love them so much.

Sick! =(

Staying at home getting as much sleep as I can before the afternoon ceremony!!!!

OK, you win. We'll do a piano with O Canada.

O Canada Piano Part

O Canada higher version (for most of you)

O Canada lower version (for those who has a lower range)

BEST. AFTERNOON. EVER!!!!!

Well, almost =P cuz my kids have stopped listening, and I had to leave early for my AM school's gr 6 farewell, which I shall not talk about for now. lol.

But anyway!

To begin with, it was already unimaginable for me to be teaching PHYS ED. It has been a joke with all my friends who've known me for some time. Never been sportive and didn't even take gym since grade 10, let alone doing real sports - the closest would be my playing badminton with friends back in jr high school and watching tennis on TV. If anyone'd asked me one year ago to play a match with kids at school, I would have been laughing my head off and thinking that I was listening to some weird language.

But today, oh man. I'll have to be a VERY lucky person to be back at a school where I feel comfortable enough in front of my kids and peers to do something so crazy. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! So much fun!!! I was so worried that it wouldn't work out, for my classes were not supposed to be watching the afternoon match; but because of the very flexible staff it worked out perfectly!!! 


It was so scary at first but then I think the competitiveness got the better of me =P When I double checked the list of kids I almost fainted - it was like all the kids I've cheered for in GBA and suddenly I have to do a blood bath with them!? - so lucky that half of the other awesome players got to play in the morning cuz if not I'd be pwned so badly! I don't remember much of the actual game - just a lot of running around like a fly, busily doing I don't even know what - so obvious I don't play =P BUT I GOT 1 SHOT!!!!!!!! lol proudest moment of my basically non-existent sports career! hahhaha I'm so proud of myself =D I think there are tons of things I could have done better, but hey, that was my first time playing a match =D And my kids said I did ok!!! lol maybe some of them can teach me how to do it better for next time - if that ever happens!

Oh man, so much fun. So glad that self proclaimed "excellent" and "intelligent" kid of mine nagged me about it last Friday after school =) Thanks kids - you guys gave me the courage to do something as crazy as this - and I know that if I didn't do it, I'll regret it for a really, really long time. Like, a few years. I might have looked so silly but who cares! It was a kind of fun nothing can compare to =)

Yay!

I hate cleaning up! ='(

Oh man. When can I have this desk cleared?!

I usually spend these weekends looking forward to Monday - which, trust me, has NEVER happened before - so, what will I be looking forward to next Friday...?

I hate saying byes.

Finally having my lunch at 6:38pm

I'm just glad that my lunch hasn't turned bad yet lol.

School was over at 11:40. Left at 11:44 (record time) and arrived G at about 12. Stayed at GBA for the whole lunch. Went to Ms. B's class and the very nice Ms. N agreed to let me switch my time around so I got to watch more GBA from 12:30 to 1:05!!! (Thanks Ms. N!!!) Back up for the class till 1:45 (and thanks A for being so responsible!!!), and scrambled to get things organized for the next two periods (which were full of silly little kids, as always). Stayed at school till almost 6pm, and thus, finally having time to sit and fill my empty stomach.

Yum.

Ok, that aside. A certain individual asked me before school ended if I'd be playing on Mon. And as he left the room he reminded me once again to bring my shoes and he'll see me there.

Let me explain something. A "no" is a "no" is a "no".
Official reason: I'll be dressed up for my AM school's grad =P
REAL reasons:
1. I can't play basketball to save my life. I can hold the ball and bounce it with my right hand, that's about it.
2. You'd see me either avoiding a ball or holding a ball and standing there laughing like crazy. And very possibly shooting the wrong net. lol
3. I'd much rather sitting there and cheering for the ki... I mean teachers. =D

There would have been a chance for v-ball. But b-ball...??? =P

edited to add: actually.... it might be fun lol. let me think about it. lol!

edited to add, again... now i want to play, but then... i have classes on day 5, grade 1 and 3. what am i supposed to do???? *banging head on wall*

Train's Class, Rudd's Class, Piano, and Boys Part

June 21 Train's Class

June 20 Rudd's Class

Boy's Part with Piano

Piano

Here we go guys. Have fun and practice hard! =D

Reminder:
After school rehearsals - Fri (tm) and Tues (28th) - till 430pm
Afternoon recess - Fri (tm) only (I have duties on 27th - 29th; but feel free to come sing with me on the yard! =P)

Music Overload!

Brian Got Talent and Glamorgan Got Talent. Both on the same day. I can only hear "cuz baby you're a fire-work!!!" in my head now. And then music making with my grade 6s - i'm a happy music person today =D

Tons of outstanding performances, but one definitely stood out for me. right then and there i got reminded why i'm going to miss this bunch so much.

i wish teachers would do something for the kids as well.

that's another day that i'm going to treasure. thank you boys and girls.

=(

Gosh I was so mean to one of the kids today. I bet that kid didn't even know why I was yelling at him. That keeps me pretty upset the whole day. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting too much. Everyone should know how to walk safely on the street - that's covered in grade 1 health! But I must have forgotten a few things: 1. Field trips are exciting. I was super hyped to be able to go bowling today, having not had a trip in the past TWO years - getting to actual bowl would be awesome-er but I love watching the bunch having fun all the same - and for the kids it must have been over the top. 2. Kids WILL misbehave. It's our job to correct or remind, not to get upset. This is whe i fell short. I, for one, seldom bring pen and papers to workshops, and I feel embarrassed enough myself and don't need being yelled at. 3. Kids often need to learn from experiences. But then, by the time something happens... Wouldn't that be too late? I think it's the whole deal about worrying how the kids will become as the grow up and the letting go at end of yr, etc etc. There's so little time left and so much I'd like to tell the kids, things I wish I'd known when I was their age, things I wish someone had told me - go explore your options! Make good friends! Make good decisions! Marks are not as important who you are and what skills you have with you! Pick a career you like, not a career that you think will earn you big bucks! Don't injure yourself cuz some injuries will stay with you for the rest of your life! Stay out of trouble! Ya da ya da ya. So much to pass on. So little time. And so little patience. I need someone to reassure me that the kids will be fine.

Class rehearsal, June 20

Class rehearsal, June 20

Here you go guys. Listen to it, and think about how we can improve it. On the link above you should be able to find the other 3 recordings I made. The piano one will be useful, as well as the one with the boy's part. I have yet to find a way to convert the Arts Night video to an mp3 here, so that's not up.

Good luck ladies and gens.

How do kids just suddenly burst into songs and dances?

These (weird/ good/ excellent) kids of mine decided to chant and sing and dance their way from the staff room back to the portable today after French.

Thanks kids for always making me laugh. I'll miss that. A lot.

And then, it's so amazing to see the almost same bunch of kids playing b-ball games against each other, half an hour later. I love how the kids understand that a game is a game and winning and losing should not affect their friendship. I still remember losing one of my good friends on a basketball count back in.... grade 5? That was just silly. I wish I knew how to think like these kids.

It's getting harder to say bye.

9 more days???!!!

i'm depressed already.

My Home!

Saw this awesome pic from here: http://www.fotobeginner.com/4572/great-photo-tips-20/

Kids!

I took a bunch of pics today with my second French class cuz some presenters needed "moral support" lol.

And now I can't stop looking at the pics and grinning at all those faces. They all look so much more mature in real life. Could it be a matter of perspective? In the pics they all look like a bunch of silly little kids.

Because they are. And I love them. =) And of course, some among them will argue that they're not "silly", but "intelligent" or "excellent". And we all know who that will be lol.

How many more days do I get to look at these silly little faces? =(

Yay!!!

Yay 'm happy!!! Just a pretty random thought - but how lucky I am to be teaching a bunch of awesome kids with so many talents. I wish I was more into sports when I was young, cuz now looking at all the kids doing physical activities, either on schoolyard, in gym, after school, interschool competitions... I often wish I could be more than a spectator. To be maybe a coach who can provide guidance, advice, help... that would be so awesome.

But anyway.... yay! =D

I love talking to myself... la la la la la....

14 more school days. 1 student already left and she wrote me such a lovely note. Another leaving next week. Then, 14 days later all the kids are going to rush of the rooms and never coming back.

I think I'm the only teacher who counts down in June with a sad feeling and getting a slight depression on Fridays.

Boo.

=*(

Rocking Rolling In The Deep!

Amazing what music can do! =)

An easy choir arrangement with an awesome lead vocal

String trio arrangement. The guy on the right (with the cello) went to teacher school with me =)

One man show - amazing is the word!!!

19 more days!

Should I be happy or sad? lol.

Soccer Baseball? Baseball Soccer? Baseball?? Soccer?? What?????

Watched, and learned this game. What a fun game, watching a bunch of kids running here and there! Another scary thing -- I've just picked up my earmuff and am wearing it. Must be the influence of a certain individual....

Tomorrow, back to business -- checking answers, hopefully gonna do a bit of singing.

EQAO ALMOST DONE!!!

Hang in there guys - one more day to go!!!

=D

Happy Long Weekend!!

Yay... time to sleep in! =D =D =D and to do some gaming =D =D =D and to read =D =D =D

Song For Canada Dress Rehearsal - ACTUAL LINK!!!

Song For Canada Dress Rehearsal

If you guys have a recording of the actual performance, I'd love to have access to it so I can put it up as well =)

Thanks guys once more-- looking forward to making more music with all you musicians!

Song For Canada Dress Rehearsal

Here you go guys! Managed to find a way to convert it into a MP3 =D

SOME PRETTY LAST MINUTE CHANGES:

We will have THREE rows instead of FOUR.

BOYS will be AT THE BACK. 

This is what will happen:

First row (which is now the first row of girls!!!) will appear first, led by Mr. Rudd's side, MAYBE SITTING ON BENCH.

Second row (second row of girls) go up next, again, Mr. Rudd's class first, MAYBE STANDING ON STAGE

Third row, THE BOYS - to the back, on benches

We enter thru door closest to stage

Now, leaving the stage:

Third row, boys, Mr Rudd's side go first.

Second row follow, Mr Rudd's side

First row, Rudd's side.

We exit turn main gym door.

Things you might want to work on:

- memorizing it - no music tm

- making the sentences more smooth

- making a bigger sound

- boys: singing AHHHHHHHH instead of doh, ti, la's

- walking (so you'll look gd going up and down the stage)

- carrying a smile =D

Dress code: RED, WHITE, BLACK

Please arrive at library at 6:30pm tm for warm up/ rehearsal.

Let me know if you have any questions.

SO EXCITED!!!!!!! =D

NEWS: Yellow Submarine on Arts Night

Grade 6s- You'll be joining the performers for Yellow Submarine at the end of Arts Night. All you need to do is to join in at the chorus, and look lovely =)

Something fun!

Just read a few funny articles on Hong Kong.... this one is the best...

http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/life/how-be-local-10-tips-faking-it-316802

totally lol-ed while reading it =D

ahhh, I miss Hong Kong! Two more months!!!

Attention, hard working students!

For those visiting my site on this (hopefully) beautiful weekend:

To receive a pretty little bling bling on your music on Monday, listen to Song For Canada - Piano and Boys Part and leave a comment with the following:
- your name;
- tell me one thing the singer can improve upon between 0:20 - 0:25
- what word is the singer singing between 1:18 - 2:05

Good luck! =D

Song For Canada - Piano and Boys Part

Song For Canada - Piano and Boys Part

Alright, gentlemen, here's your part, with a bit of melody so that you know where you are. Have fun listening and practicing!

TWO MORE WEEKS TO GO!!!!!

2 more weeks. 10 days for class. Minus 2 for trip, 1 for track and field, 1 for oral test (memorizing lyrics), 1 dress rehearsal = 5 more classes.
OMG.

If you're worried as much as I am, do the following:
- listen to the recordings, sing with them
- listen to the piano, sing your own part
- think of which words are important in the song
- do not take breathes DURING a phrase -- MAKE MUSIC!!!
- the French words are dragging you down (in terms of speed and pitch). repeat the words until they roll off your tongue like it's nothing.
- boys: you don't have a lot of word, but your part is more difficult than the melody. You're providing the foundation to the main tune.

Tempted to upload today class's recording. Maybe I'll wait for an even better one. Wonderful work today - you guys have got complements from two teachers -- I think you should let all of them hear you guys =)

Might upload a file with the boys' line, let me know if that'd be useful.

Let me know of any questions!

Song For Canada - Piano Part, Online Sample, etc.

Song For Canada - Piano Part

Same file as the one I played in class. Voice comes in at bar 9.

Sample on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJtu84ONmoQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN21a9tYUjY

CD Recording Sample:
http://tdsb.naxosmusiclibrary.com
Enter Passcode: trillium
Search "song for canada paul halley"
Select "Choral Concert: Toronto Children's Chorus (A Song for All Seasons) (Bartle)"
Check song# 15, click play.

AHHHHH let me resurrect this from its grave...

No one reads it anyway. lol!