Evergreen

Some memories last forever and they can still make you laugh.

Dealing with children of all ages bring all sorts of past connections and ties to a new awakening and fun.

Today has been especially eventful with a teacher falling sick and with me having to stand in. How do you begin with 6 and 7 year-olds ? The teacher in me searched for the basics of handling them and reaching down to their level. Indeed the child in me must arise for the challenge. 

My house was the topic of drawing and writing.

A drawing that speaks.

I asked him why Monday? Oops sorry he said.

But nevertheless he expressed well in the picture scratched. Later, with the aid of the WH questions he was asked to write five sentences about his house. With all his teeth shown in a smid write for I have seen a much older child finding it difficult to read the time on a clock. It all could boil down to immersion and exposure.le and his cheeky eyes squeezed into a line, he constructed the simple sentences. Yes, he did it with the aid of WH help. It is commendable to see the 7 year old constructing the sentences when I do see some older ones not able to read the time on a clock. It must boil down to exposure and immersion.

Then there is this industrious class monitor who keeps knocking at the door to report on the wrong doings of classmates. "Principal, so and so did this and that..." how to be irritated? He is only doing his duty and in the process got ostracized. How sad. But I remembered so clearly that I was once like him too...

The things we did then are still practiced today. Eternal. Hahahaha.

Later, Joshua came in " Principal, I have food poisoning..." Not from here I hope. No he had it the day before. So he unashamedly confessed he had soiled his suspenders. Hahaha... no, I am not tired of them. We gave him a rub of the famous 'Yu Yi' oil so popular among Chinese mothers. If a baby is colicky, that oil will do the trick.

It is true. I must have grown older and now able to take in whatever it takes. I realise that there is meaning attached to such acts. Ask me if I am joking and the answer is no. Why the need to do this? It is interesting to be with people.

A mother's love is so genuine. She goes to great lengths to make it a happy day for her daughter. Mum and dad promised not to disturb the routine of the centre; they would only come during break time to sing the song of the year for their dear child. How to deny them?

Pretty Esther is very sweet and helpful. She is a hit among her friends and takes care of others very well. She is a delight to be with and teach. She responses well and tries very very very hard to speak to me carefully for she knows I would not use any other language except English. Her learning stint at a vernacular school did not provide her the ethos to use English and so she is here to pick skills in the language. We hope the immersion theory works well with her as she is bright and vocal. Esther's disposition reminds me of my own daughter also called Esther.

What a coincidence. My Esther used to look like this too; slim and tall.

The birthday wish I have for her is that she will grow up to be a people person, caring and loving to all around her. May the Good Lord bestow upon her blessings abundant indeed.

God bless you, Esther.

Enough events for a day for my old heart.