Bits 'n' Bytes of School (Part 2)

Alice: Teacher, I don’t want to do Science. I hate it so much. I just want to play.
Myself: How can you say that? Learning Science helps you understand the world that you live in. It’s so interesting!
Alice: Then why don’t you learn it yourself?
Myself: I did, when I was your age. And I liked it. Now, whether you like it or not, you have to do your Science, so it’s better that you start to love it. Morever, the principal will check your work tomorrow.
Alice: Teacher, why must you become like my mother? Day and night nagging! At home I hear it. Now, here also!
Myself: If you don’t want people to ‘nag’ at you, you should behave in such a way that people won’t need to ‘nag’ at you.

(At this point, she started meddling with her stuff and disturbing the other students around her. So I sternly said that if she refused to do her work, I wouldn’t allow her to sit with me at my table, and she would have to return to her own cubicle.)
Alice: Why must you be so fierce now? Ok lah, I will do it now. (And she started her work, and completed a very good number of pages!)

* I was just comparing myself with these children. During my time, the teachers gave orders and we just obeyed (the only exceptions were the rebellious children.) This girl, Alice (not her real name) was not one of the rebellious kids. She was just one of the typical children in school who was voicing out her honest feelings to me. To a large extent, I am their friend. I eat with them during recess and sometimes join in their games. They don’t really fear me as I am friendly with them most of the time. They share their sadness and disappointments with me, when they fail their exams or get scolded by other teachers. Some of them also run and show me their papers when they get good scores…But looking back at my school days, my classmates and I never talked in that manner to any teacher regardless of how nice and friendly they were. Times have changed…..

Amy: Teacher, will I go to Hell?
Myself: Why are you asking me such a question? Didn’t you just learn about that last week ?Amy: I learnt…I know…I believe. But just now Sally sent me a note saying that if am friends with Jane, I will go to hell. Sally said I must not befriend Jane if I want to go to heaven. I feel very afraid. I don’t know what to do.

*My goodness! The extent children go to in their quarrels and differences!!!

Jane (10 years old) : Jo jie jie (elder sister in Mandarin)…I want to tell you a secret. Don’t tell anyone, ok?....Sally and David like each other. Yesterday, Sally (12 years old) sent David (14 years old) a note asking him “ What do you like?’ You know what he replied?....”I like you hair. I like girls a little bit taller than you……I like you!”

* Hmm...teenage crush!

David: Where’s Morgan?
Myself: At home. Why are you so bothered about Morgan?
David: Because Morgan is my friend. Morgan is cool. I like Morgan. When are you going to wear Morgan again?
Myself: Maybe next week.
David: Yeh! Yeh! Morgan is cool! Will you wear it on Monday?

* Morgan, by the way is one of my turtle-neck tops. I wore it with black jeans. It’s dark blue with splashes of lighter shades of blue across my chest, with the brand name “Morgan” written on it. This is one of my favourite tops and seems to be the kids’ favourite too. A number of them have asked me when I plan to wear it again. Whenever I wear it, David would come and greet it, saying “Hi Morgan!”