Different;

We are very different.

This year I had the opportunity / challenge of being paired with someone whom, I’m growing to learn, is vastly different from me.

While I abhor following structures and traditions merely for the sake of following them, I believe she shows extreme care and diligence for these things e.g. book checks. (i.e. she will want all her books looking perfect).

I care greatly for those who are weaker in a subject / cannot read / etc. I think she dislikes them (actually she has indeed used that word to describe them before) or at least dislikes teaching them.

It really struck a chord with me this morning when I got her to help me give out the Kindness Movement booklets.

So this booklet is really colourful and has activities for the kids to do e.g. cut out hands, etc.

However, this morning I received 14 booklets and 15 blackwhite photocopies, and when I asked Hafiqah why, she said that the school received 15 less copies and therefore she had to photocopy 15 copies.

Of course I did think "then why cannot distribute the 15 copies evenly across all P2 classes instead of giving my class all 15 copies" but I let it go... lol.

Immediately I thought to give the weaker kids the booklet, because it would motivate them to read and do it. I felt that the better kids would need less motivation to do it, and it also would not really matter if they did it or not, because they already knew about these kindness movement things.

However I ran out of time for FTGP so I asked Mary if she could distribute for me during her lesson, explaining the situation of the photocopies. "Oh, you want to give the weaker ones the booklets? Why? I think we should give the better ones cos at least they will have a higher chance of doing". I was like hmm.... really? Something was off about that reasoning, but i havent figured out why yet.

ANYway, I let her decide and this is legitly how it went.

"Okay kids, now I am going to distribute this Kindness Movement Book to you for you to do. The 8 children, come here"

(me: whutttttt. Does she call them by "8 children" all the time? And its so clear like the entire class feels it is common? Is this really even right???)

The 8 children really jump up and go and take their books.

"Now the rest of you, they did not provide enough books so here are some photocopied ones for you. Please stand, those of you who don't have. I will give out. Then once you have received it you sit down".

Jovest: "eh but I want the book"

(she proceeds to ignore)

I need to mull over this. But more importantly, what is God showing me?