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.
\n\u2018Where do you come from? Where will you go? We will meet again.
\nSmall footsteps into a big world, I follow your path, my footsteps next to yours.
\nYou will meet the world\u2019s miracles, may they bring you what you seek.
\nWe will skip and hop and falling, skip and hop and falling, skip and hop and falling- down
\nRunning and rolling and jumping, running and rolling and jumping, running and rolling and jumping -high.
\nWhere do you come from? Where will you go? We will meet again.\u2019
\nThese 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\u2019s paths crossing and I also thought of their futures beyond school life.
\nOn 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.
\nFor 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\u2019s 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!
\nMy 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, No\u00e3, 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!
\nThe 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!
\nI 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.
\nMy 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!
\nThe journey doesn\u2019t 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!
\nWith love
\nKristal Cox-Willemse
\nClass 6 Teacher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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. \u2018Where do you come from? Where will you …<\/p>\n