What if you are NOT the teacher's pet?
Have you been ever?
Did it anyway affect shape your personality?
"Chubby Cheeks, dimple chin
Rosy lips, teeth within
Curly hair very fair Eyes are blue, lovely too
Teacher’s pet, “is that you”
Yes, yes, yes.."
This raises a question which I've experienced in my school days and keep haunting me still - NOT being the pet of your teacher!
2nd June 2010:
Im ANGRY, DISAPPOINTED, SAD, SURPRISED with the level of school staffs where Krish is visting... I do not know how to react to such things.
In past days, few incidents happened and he was crying the whole night in his sleep saying "Im NOT a bad boy"
Im feeling so sorry for my baby.. Lately I had been too strict with him with regards to writting and "sitting" activities... thinking his school is too liberal regarding the same..
And now I realised his teacher is behaving not too good.. infact ignoring him many a times...
really dont know how to calm him down...
Not every child is born an EINSTEIN.. my son may not be one of those boys who listens to every word commaned.. I know he doesnt like too many sitting activity... and because the session is coming to an end and she has to give reports she is making them do all these activities to submit... Their timing is 9-3:15 PM in Nursery.. he gets completely exhausted and then....
He came home completely distressed saying, "Melissa is not my friend, Raphael is not my friend.. they dont play with me... Teacher says I'm a BAD boy and they dont play with me..."
When I asked "why she said so?" - he said, "I didn't cut the TRUCK" - a paper cutting activity.. And then "why did u not cut?" - reply, "teacher said I'm BAD"
He feels, 'coz you said Im a bad boy - I will behave like a bad boy..
The same activity - cutting truck - he sat quietly and finsihed at home later...
3rd June 2010
"Papa, my skin is brown", teacher said
Is there any need for a nursery student to know that he is browned skin, his friend is white or black or yellow ???
They are not doing civilisation or countries or culture, then what makes them discuss such stuff in school - amazes me. My child knows he is an Indian and someone else is an Italian.. but skin colour.
I had heard till now that few are rasial. Could this be an instance to prove the same? Im feeling so scared and vulnarable for my child. Not sure if I should pack my bags and go home now.
Won't this affect him psychologically. Knowing he gets hurt and remembers things that has happened when he was 1 year old, Im more concerned now.
phew Bidisha, this worries me too.
ReplyDeleten btw the 'bad boy' thing occurs with Tanmay too. Ich bin 'good boy' , nicht 'bad boy' he keeps telling.
Didnt think it had anything with daycare - but now I aint sure.
Pratiksha,
ReplyDeleteThanks for writting in.
Its been lng Ive wanted to write this, but the recent occurance
I've seen few kids more sentimental than others. Krish is one of them. Knowing Tanmay I think he sails in the same boat. He is more "active" which usually people term as being "naughty" than others. He is not destructive like hitting or pushing. He can build his vehicles/houses with blocks, sing, do kitchen works, for an hour sitting at a place. But when there is a tone of command he refuses to do esp. when it comes to writting.
And the teacher sometimes loses her patients & tries to be strict, when the "bad boy" occur. And he starts behaving like a "bad boy" even if he doesnt want to be called one.
What I'm concerned now is, if being a mom I can understand that children may behave such once in a while and then control my temper, why can't a "TRAINED" professional.
Moreover, I've noticed it both in his kindergarten(mangaer) and here(teacher) that they have asumptions about "Indian children", be it the education system, food habit, or the way we bring up our children. Not sure if they realise that with working mothers and most of us having adapted the present "culture" outside our country things are not the same what it was even 5 yrs back. Earlier they had problem he played with Tanmay and not with the Japanese kids.
Surely, as parents we have to keep our child's interest in best hands.
Oh Bidisha. Big hug to gud boy Krish :) This type of labelling seems to be happening at many nurseries nd schools. One of my other colleague told abut the same nd how they wud tell him no u r a gud boy at home all the time nd encourage him to take him out of this loop ' i m a bad boy so I will do this'. I think it might b lack of attention as well at the nursery. Anyways we can try our best at home only I guess.
ReplyDeleteAs for skin color, it happened at my daughter's nursery as well but who cares. We can always try our best to encourage our kids nd point them towards all the +ve things they do.
Its so sad to happen to a kid at this age. Their minds and hearts are pure and does not discriminate. Why should they ( esp teacher ) bring this about to them??
ReplyDeleteAlso ignoring a child in nursery ( of course they have huge peer pressure) brings in bad behaviour.
I def agree, Active child labelled as Naughty. Why do trained SO called professionals behave like this to children ??
I too am concerned for Krish.. Do pass him my HUGS
Richa,
ReplyDeleteThanks dear for understanding my concern. I shall pass on all the hugs to Krish.
Its surprising and also sad that inspite of so many Indians/Asians embrassing foreign Nationality, this skin thing is so persistent at all levels.
I've not made Krish realise its an "issue" at all. But when he mentioned - Anna said, white skin, yellow skin, brown skin - I was not at all comfortable to hear that.
Bala,
Yes, Im concerned and spoke to a representative at school, regarding the same. Just hope they work in a +ve spirit.
Hope this gets sorted out Bidisha. As a child, I was always picked upon by my teachers, and it left a permanent scar. I would have been a different person today, if my teachers had been more encouraging. All the best. Hope your kid gets a nice school/teacher soon.
ReplyDeleteBidisha,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote my thoughts.My daughter(4 and 1/2 yrs) one day asked me why my skin is brown mamma and that was one and half year back and I too was touched but what I always do is juxt encourage her and tell she is not less than anyone and it does really works wonders!!!! If the day care is not doing good job change the school or take this to incharge and as you told it should not make all these incidents less confident,Take care of Krish
Don`t worry Bidisha, everything will get sort out once he moves to pre-k. Till that time you keep encourage him and do talk with Karin Sarbach as early as possible. This thing happens with the classmates but it is unfortunate for Dev it happend with the class teacher.
ReplyDeleteHey Bidisha, Srey is not his teachers' pet either. But thank god, no one talks about his nationality or colour in his kindergarten - very civilised staff, I must say.
ReplyDeleteAs kids grow older, their understanding and perception grows. They start to notice a lot more and feel emotions quicker than we adults. Its very important to keep them positively engaged so they embrace the real world.
I tell Srey its great to be brown, because 1) feel good fact: we don't have to lay under the sun naked for hours :) And 2)Reality Fact:kids go after their parents.
I am sure everything will settle down for the good. School is an extremely important part of a child's mental, physical and intellectual well being. Please make sure your comments are being acted upon by the school or just find another one. Our children are worth the best :-)
Hugs to you both!
Ratna