Had I?

I want to teach my students more

than lessons in a book;

I want to teach them deeper things

that people overlook -

The value of a rose in bloom,

its use and beauty, too,

A sense of curiosity to discover what is true;

How to think and how to choose

the right above the wrong,

How to live and learn each day

and grow up to be strong;

To teach them always how to gain

in wisdom and in grace,

So they will someday make the world

a brighter, better place.

Lord, let me be a friend and guide

to give these minds a start

Upon their way down life's long road,

then I'll have done my part.

~ Jill Wolf

In retrospect, I'd always been blessed with good teachers in my formative years and if I'd ever done badly in any test or exam, I know that's because I hadn't studied hard enough. Let me cite you an example - with the help of my extremely patient tuition teacher, the Math idiot that I am actually managed a B3 (from a D7, no less) in Additional Mathematics in the O levels!

And so in the week leading to my last lessons at the language school I have been working at this past half a year (and for the nth time, no, it's not tuition), I have this to wonder: Had I been a good teacher throughout my entire teaching career? Had I been there when my students needed me? Had I taught them well academically, morally and ethically? Had I inadvertently crushed a dream because of my thoughtlessness or disbelieve (that they can do it)? And most importantly, had I made a difference?