For Class of 2016
I’m writing this post as we close the school year, and know that perhaps the students who have used this blog with me all year will get this message.
Thank you for the learning this year. It’s been a hectic year, but we made it! Mr. Forgy and I have really appreciated how each one of you has taken on our inquiries and made them significant to yourself and others. Our year, like your individual lives, had moments when “there are heavy, light and sometimes out of order sections that are unique in their own being, like a personal identity” (Calvin).
I think Noah has really captured how each one of you has shaped and reshaped yourself as a learner in his summative assessment product. I wish you all the best as you transition on to Diploma or other countries. Remember that you are a work in progress, and the artist is yourself! As Mimi said in her artist’s statement about her color spinner sculpture, ” Each time the spinner is spun, parts of them hit a new color and it forms a pattern in itself.”
Enjoy the summer, and thank you again for a memorable year.
The Learner's Toolbox 
For Ms. Lavina and Mr. Forgy,
Thank you for all you have taught us. Even though the academic year may have ended, I will still carry your teachings with me through diploma and the rest of my life. We knew there were times when you were filled with anxiety because of our immature attitude towards learning, like when I screamed “No way! This is too much work!” or when we all got lectured for not submitting our works on time. However, it was you who put up with it and nurtured us into who we are today. Now, they had transformed into memories that I cherished, knowing that they were my past mistakes.
You once said two years ago that there was a study published by Harvard University that suggests students will have higher salary if their teacher truly cared for them. We will prove that you are indeed a great teacher by making it comes true.
With all sincerity, Chris Grade 10
Thank you for a fantastic year!
Dear Chris,
Thanks for your comment. I hope you also remember the happiness studies from Harvard, and include your happiness as an indicator of your success in future. Thank you for your profound thinking – you always, unceasingly, surprised me with the insights you shared.
Ms. Lavina
Thank you for giving us (myself) one of the most insipiring and possibly transformative classes in Concordian, as you and your teaching has opened our minds to be who we want to be.
And thank you for putting up with our attitude for the two years you have taught us, as we sometimes required a little pushing from you. With your lessons, class bonding and philosophies (A touch of TOK here and there), perhaps we as a class wouldn’t be as it is today.
Sad to hear that this is your last year of teaching, as I do hope you will someday return to liberating the minds of students again. I wish you the best with what you’ll be doing next.
Calvin,
Dear Calvin,
Thank you for your comment. It was possibly one of the best years of learning for me, as well. Mainly due to your responses to the engagements that we have used as mental agitation for thorough thought. I am also processing the sadness as part of leaving the classroom, but I am looking forward to helping many other classrooms engage students as a coach for other teachers.
All the best in Diploma, I look forward to seeing the fruits of your work in MUN and leadership.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lavina
Ms. Lavina and Mr. Forgy,
I don’t have much to type due to Chris and Calvin taking the words right out of my mouth. All I can say is that we won’t ever forget your teachings.
🙂
Thanks for taking time to write a comment, Nat. I still remember our conversations about perspectives and the hallways chats about TOK. I hope you continue to meander through ways of knowing. All the best in Diploma and beyond.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lavina
Dear Mr Forgy and Ms Lavina
The most simple thing i can do right now is say thank you so here goes.Thank you for making my first year at concordian an interesting and hardworking year, and thank you for making english ,a subject that i never thoght i would like, my favorite subject, i love the discussions, the intensity, its really fun. And lastly thank you Ms Lavina for all those inspirational talks to actually get me going. Its a hard thing to say goodbye to one of the first memories in the school (failing my first assignment :D) but everything has an end, so goodluck both and i thank again for all the knowledge i have gained throughout the year.
Dear Kong, Thanks for taking the time to thumb-type your message on a device [ it’s obvious 🙂 ]. It was a pleasure to see you grow as an MYP student in leaps and bounds! Now you know why the icon for this blog is Chinese bamboo. The Chinese bamboo grows quite slowly in the first few years, but in the fifth year, it grows meters and meters! This is what happened to you in MYP 5. Thanks too for inspiring your teachers to see your resilience and growth mindset. These allowed you to flourish in the final months of MYP. Good luck in Diploma and I look forward to seeing more from you.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lavina