An Ode to Grade Three.

I teach twenty-five students, from grade two through grade 8, five periods a day, each day. All of my kids bring something wonderful to the table. Sure they cheat and they don't do their homework and they don't know how to raise their hands or stay in their seat, but we're working on it. One of the grade seven boys, Noreak, he is one of the worst, cheating and not trying and ah! But then he smiles this wide goofy smile at me and I love him all over again.

But we're not here to talk about grade seven. I would like to take a moment to talk about my favorite group, because lets be serious, every teacher has favorites, grade three.

The only way I could accurately convey how much I love these people would be through large gestures and interpretative dance. But I'll do what I can.

This is them. In all my grades there is fights, spats, arguments. Except in grade three. In grade three there is helping, and smiling, and completeness.

Rotana is the only girl of the five. She is also the smartest one of the bunch. Sometimes when we're working on something and the boys are just being so silly she'll look at me and we'll roll our eyes and laugh. She can write in cursive better than I can.

Even though she is the only girl, she is in charge of the boys. She takes care of them a little.

When I tell her she is beautiful she has this smile that just lights up my life.

She wants to be a doctor. She will be a doctor.

Pannha. He is the quietest one of the group. And often it takes him an extra minute to understand. He doesn't speak up about it, he doesn't want to disturb, so I've learned to ask him specifically after every starts working.

He hands me food randomly throughout the day. His dad is a pretty important government official, always looking so serious. He intimidates me a little. From what I know Pannha had a rough time of it in government school, making friends and understanding lessons. But at the end of the day when Pannha says, goodbye, Teacher! See you tomorrow! I catch his father smiling at me. I agree, sir. I'm glad you're son is happy here too.

Boreach. Oh my goodness. This kid just kills me. When I give him instructions, he makes jerky movements like someone is shooting him. I laugh.

He is the smallest of all grade three, but he stands up for himself and does what he wants!

When the light bulb goes off for him and he understands something, he holds his pencil out in front of him, wags his eyebrows up and down and says, oooh, I knooow.

He NEVER remembers to write his name. When I give a test, or a quiz or a paper, I remind everyone, write your name. Boreach! Write your name!! Ooooh, I knooow!

Sopheak. He is the most adorable. He forgot to wear his uniform to school once.

He has this laugh that consumes his whole body. He always remembers jokes and reminds me. "Monkey go to bathroom!"

He is very clumsy, the walkway was slippery one day and I looked out the door just in time to see Sopheak slide past the door on his back screaming. I've never laughed so hard. He reminds me sometimes. Cha, remember how I slide? Bahaha. Yes.

He and Boreach are best friends. They stick together and laugh at each others jokes the way only best friends can.

His parents aren't in the picture too much. He and his sister, who is also in my class, live with an uncle. He is so wonderful and full of life. At the end of every day he hugs me and says in Khmer, goodbye, teacher, thank you, see you tomorrow!

And last, Joshua. I could talk for hours about him. He is the love of my life, the light in the darkness. We bonded early on and when I found out he was a dorm student I thanked God for loving me so much.

Joshua is the loudest of the group, and he is the oldest. If he continues in school he will be 23 when he graduates high school.

Now, Joshua is often just terrible. He doesn't stay in his seat or want to do his work and he always wants to talk. I get so mad, but then he smiles and says something charming and I'm sucked right back in.

He waits for me at lunch and we walk together. And everyday after school he comes to my classroom to talk to me. He has a brother who is also in my class and Joshua takes care of him.

Joshua started out with the lowest amount of English out of grade three and now he is almost the best. The other day he came and told Olga and I a story and we were astounded! It wasn't the story, it was that the story was in ENGLISH with only a few pauses. OH MY GOODNESS! It was the most exciting moment of the week!

Today we had a rough 5th period and I was frustrated when it was finished. When teachers meeting finished after school around 4:30 all the dorm kids were playing outside. I went down to my classroom to work and moments later Joshua showed up. We were talking and he asked me, do you miss home? I said, sometimes. Why? He replied, Because I miss home.

It's impossible not to love him.

During the last finals week the schedule worked out that I got to spend an entire period with just grade three. They did my seventh period routine with me. Office, they took turns pushing buttons on the copy machine, and we all laughed at things Joshua said. Then we went to the library and read books. It was a magical hour and now they ask me everyday, Cha! Can we go to office and library today with you?!

I so wish.

These kids have taught me, in the cheesiest way possible, that love knows no obstacle. The language barrier in my classroom is a never ending source of frustration. But I somehow manage to love these people more than I thought possible.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all moments of joy. I struggle to get them to sit still, and do their homework, and stop cheating, and don't write in pen, and no you may not go to the bathroom, and learning. Are we learning anything?! Are we making ANY progress?!?!

But I was blessed enough to be given a group of people who make struggle and long days seem worth it. Who make giving up seem so ridiculous. A group of people that make me want to try. A group of people that make me dread going home in six months.

These are my people. My children. All 25 of them. I'm invested, I'm in love.

The only way I know how to express the love I feel for this group is to put my arms in the air, to twirl, to bow, to sway, to praise.

"I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my King.

NOTHING, Lord, is hindering the passion in my soul"