I may be an English teacher on paper, but I really feel more like a mom most of the time. Or maybe a prison guard. Honestly, if I had a dollar for every fight I've had to break up at the center, I'd be a VERY rich woman with all the kiddos we have to manage. Thank God they are at least cute. Like I've said, there is never, ever a dull moment with them.
It shocks me to see how seemingly incapable they are of dealing with small conflicts in a calm, non-violent way. But once you see the way their parents and other teachers treat them, hit them, abuse them, it all starts to make sense. The vicious cycle continues. It's heartbreaking.
I often feel helpless as to how these children will ever learn, how will these vicious cycles of violence and abuse ever stop? They simply don't know any better. They don't know there is another way to do deal with their frustrations other than cursing, hitting, kicking, and fighting.
In hopes of promoting PEACE, I have taken it upon myself to ask my students, "Shu badna??" That means, "What do we want??" in Arabic every time I break up an argument or fight. Sometimes they don't answer me, but they have all come to know that I will ask this question over and over again until I get an answer. I don't really care very much if the children are pouting or crying, they know they aren't going anywhere until they answer, "Salaam!" That means, "Peace!" And then I make them say it again and again and again until they sound like they mean it.
So there you have my job, friends. Teaching children to fake it till they make it, one fight at a time! Oh, dear...
