Friday, January 9, 2009

Kasihan

Sometimes I do pity my students.. as I have to act 'hard' in front of them to teach them to grow up .. as they do ask rather stupid, clearly not thought of, questions.. in an extremely inarticulate manner, at extremely difficult times for me.. and you know they are expecting you to swoop down and solve all their 'problems' for them.
I even have a sticker on a board behind me to subtly tell them to get their brain in gear..it doesn't seem to work!
The difficult thing for me is that I do want to swoop down and solve all their problems for them, but at the same time I know that if I do so it would not be good for their future. They will just end up as spineless moochers and as the other Professors say "naik kepala". But its so pitiful to see them struggling.. well, at least some try. Others don't even bother to see me, much less to talk to me.
I see a parallel with Walter. I want to hold him and never let him go, as the world can be so cruel to him (and it has been cruel, and I guess it will be crueler in the future as he grow's up .. there's a lot you can get away with while still a child.. but as an adult Down Syndrome.. its difficult). We decided that he will go to kindergarten like any other child, even if he cries, screams and shout. He has to learn to socialize, speak... But I must admit that I want to cry with him, as I do feel his pain. But if he doesn't learn now, how will he ever learn, ever. At least that's one thing we learnt from Datin Linda and Sue Walker.
Ernest

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