"We Made Teacher Cry."

I told them earlier on in the semester that I cry when I'm happy, I cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm mad, and that I cry when I'm feeling about almost any other strong or noteworthy (sometimes) emotion. Although I didn't want to bank on the fact that I would, I had a feeling that I'd end up crying in front of my adult-aged students at the end of the semester--not because I was mad or frustrated. Instead, I'd be crying some mix of happy and sad tears--happy because the semester had been such a great experience and sad because I was going to miss my students AND because it'd mark the last class I'd teach at the American Language Institute at CSULB. 


With finishing my master's program, moving home to live with my parents for a few months before the wedding, and getting married, I find that I'm saying goodbye to a job that I love, friends who I adore, and a city that i've called home for the last 6 years. I had told my students this, and they decided to say goodbye in the sweetest fashion ever:

Next to each one of their pictures, they each wrote a note expressing their thanks and wishing me (and Dave) all sorts of  happy wishes for the upcoming wedding :). 

The minute my student Will pulled this cork-board-creation out of his bag, I knew that the tears were going to flow freely.


Grammar 3 Students,


Thank you for investing your time into this class.
Thank you for inspiring to be a better teacher.
Thank you for making me laugh.
Thank you for making me cry ;).
Thank you for making my last term at the ALI so memorable.
Thank you for blessing me.
Thank you for being such a great class!


I really just hope for each and every one of you that you become lifelong learners--in and out of any kind of school environment. For those of you who are going home, I hope that you take things that you've learned with you. For those of you who are staying here in the United States, I hope that you keep those things near as you continue to build on them. 


Love,


Liz