Farewell from Class 6 Teacher

On Friday 18 March I will say goodbye to my beloved class and this wonderful school community to soon become a mother myself. I do this with much sadness but more so with overflowing gratitude for the gifts I have received during my time at Gaia Waldorf.
‘Where do you come from? Where will you go? We will meet again.
Small footsteps into a big world, I follow your path, my footsteps next to yours.
You will meet the world’s miracles, may they bring you what you seek.
We will skip and hop and falling, skip and hop and falling, skip and hop and falling- down
Running and rolling and jumping, running and rolling and jumping, running and rolling and jumping -high.
Where do you come from? Where will you go? We will meet again.’
These are the words of the song I wrote for my class when I started with them in Class 1, January 2011. Meeting my children for the very first time was a life-changing moment for me. It made me wonder about their plans and purpose on this earth, the purpose of me becoming their teacher, the purpose of the children’s paths crossing and I also thought of their futures beyond school life.
On our journey together we encountered challenges, sorrows and joys and for these I am so grateful! They have taught us some of the most valuable lessons that one can have in life and have shaped a tight-knit class community.
For me education is not primarily about learning academically, although this is of course very important, but learning to be in community and look out for one another is the much greater purpose. This is a great lesson of trust; to know that whatever comes the children’s way they can see it through together. No challenge is too great when it is shared! It is rather an opportunity for growth, much welcomed!
My children are in Class 6 now and are a very special class family. I feel so thankful and I thank you my dear children; Nur-Jehaan, Grace, Rafael, Layla, Cameron, Jordan, Cassandra, Joel, Piper, Noã, Raul, Micah, Erin, Dhamier, Nabeelah, Calvin and Sthembiso for this incredible journey. It will be so strange to wake up and not be on my way to you, as I have done with so much excitement for the past 5 years, but I look forward to hearing about your continued path together!
The support and trust that I received from my class parents over the years plays a huge role in our class community growing to where it is now. In our latest parent evening I was reminded of this and I feel so much gratitude towards all Class 6 parents, thank you!
I also want to thank the wider Gaia Community, children and parents. I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to be part of this community and receive so many warm greetings in the mornings.
My dear Gaia colleagues, you are family to me and I come to school every day with joy knowing that I would meet all of you there. I thank you for your love and commitment!
The journey doesn’t end here; this is only a new path that we are taking that holds so many wonderful adventures for the future. When and how our paths will cross again in future I do not know but I know they will, one way or another and I will be looking out for that moment with great anticipation! We will meet again!
With love
Kristal Cox-Willemse
Class 6 Teacher