It was a day when the Buddhist students went to the temple and the Muslim students met at school...perhaps 10% are Muslim but none of the girls wear scarfs. To allow me to say goodbye the grades I taught were assembled for pictures. The students who are so shy about individual or small group pictures line up enthusiastically for group photos.
The students certainly are not regimented. While I'm teaching they wander in an out of class. Some ask to be excused and, because I don't have a clue, I always say "Yes." Wednesday was the first time I in my two years of volunteering I saw tears. Something happened in the 4th grade class, behind my back of course, and a girl was in tears. Another girl helpfully? came and pointed it out to me but it was obvious. Not knowing what had transpired and knowing I couldn't ask the girl because of the language barrier I decided not to focus on her and move on. The 3rd grade teacher suddenly appeared and asked me if I wanted her to take one of the boys I suspected of the mischief out of the room. I agreed and he reappeared later and caused no more trouble. The absence of tears seems particularly surprising given the large amount of unsupervised time they have.
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