"Why do you have the ring on your little finger?" I asked.
The chirpy child sunken with a sad face immediately.
"It's painful." She said.
"Did you tell your teacher?"
She shook her head.
"Your teacher won't scold you. If you tell her, she can help you. Next time, you should let her know. Ok?"
Sad face. :(
But perhaps I said the words too soon. When the child told the teacher, with me around, the teacher wasn't too encouraging about it. It was even a little reproachful. So, I had to explain to the teacher.
Angsty. Some teachers are just angst about every thing. Even teaching session can sound like a reprimanding session, with voices raised, finger pointing, and bloodshot eyes. (ok. Maybe not bloodshot, but piercing stares.) I can't imagine how scary it must be for the kids. However, truly kids adapt really fast and they manage to survive, taking in some techniques (stay low) to avoid being scolded. While some daredevils fight back by shouting louder than teacher, and some just 'arrow' their friends.
I don't know if I can do this, if I were them.
On a serious note, teachers, please don't lose your passion for the kids. Some days are difficult and it's tough when you have challenging kids, but creating an environment where kids learn the right attitude to life, learning and friendship goes a long way. You never know you're impacting their lives in ways beyond your imagination.
