Teachers' Day 2016 - Black, Pink and Very Popular

Teachers Day was here again and it's my kind of holiday (even for a day). The day is celebrated internationally on every 16th May. But some schools might delay the celebration for a day or two, usually because the day always clash with the mid year examinations.

I neglected to post this for two days, la la la.  

This year the teachers decided to wear pink or black or a mix of the two. I opted to wear black because my pink shirt is almost bursting at the seams (I have gained some weight these few months). The ceremony started at 730 am, with full attendance of students and teachers.

Earlier in the morning I did some shouting at the hostels, warning them not to spoil the teachers' mood and more importantly, MY mood by doing things that they are not supposed to do this auspicious day. 

Boring speeches... The principal and vice principal read speeches from the Minister and the Director of Education. Truth be told, I wasn't paying attention to the speeches because I was busy conducting my prefects. There was no teaching that day and the mood was almost festive.

And this was taken after the assembly.... a lot of students want to have selfies with me, using my own phone. Students are forbidden to bring electronics to school. If the items were confiscated... usually they would be MINE. I warned every students about this, yet every year a couple of smartphones find their way to my hands from prefects' raids. I have a few small boxes of handphones at home belonging to students.... Returning them back? Not a chance.

And this is me in the school hall, sitting on a chair while the rest of the students sat on the floor. The school hall consisted of four classes which were combined by removing the aluminum rolling partition. The major exams also took place here. As for the day, everybody was happy to sit on the floor to watch the performance by students for the teachers.

There were SEVERAL performances. And many of them mentioned MY name, for some reason or another. Truth be told, most of the performances was mediocre, even below average, especially the sketches and singing. But the students had few days to practice and that's ok. In this performance picture, I was most impressed even though I didn't understand a thing (because it was in Arabic). This was the only performance that showed skills and the result of long practice. It was a choral speaking thing, but in Arabic. Yes, I taught Science in a religious Arabic school.   

I received a great many gifts that day.... Heck, I always received A LOT MORE than most of the teachers combined every year. I used to gloat by posting the small hillock of presents on my table (to the distaste of the rest of my colleagues) but this year I decided not to.

I just wanna show you a small plastic trophy, not professionally decorated, but came to me from all the students of the school, by vote.

"The Most Popular Teacher"

Now top that, hahahaha! 

p.s.

- there are more interesting pictures during the sporting event, meals etc but some female teachers might kill me if they knew I posted those pics online. Spoilsport....