I’m tutoring a 9-year old Japanese boy, teaching him Math and English. (The latter is no problem for me at all, but the former? this is the very first time that anyone’s asked me to teach Math! Anyway, it’s just Grade 2 arithmetic.) It was our first session last Saturday, and we went through the usual getting-to-know-each-other phase. I’ve known his father for several months now, but this was the first time that the kid’s seen me. He asked me quite candidly what made me decide to take up teaching, and some more questions that were very frank and open. The kind of questions that made me pause and try to give him as frank an answer as I could.
I guess that’s why I’ve come to teach children now, as opposed to my handling adult classes in Nihongo until sometime ago. Children, while they can be rowdy and have short attention spans, on the other hand they’re so honest. Yes of course they can spew off nasty lies too, but what I mean is, they’re not bogged down by the necessity of hiding their true selves, of veiling their words.
It’s very refreshing. And what’s more, seeing in children’s eyes that light of wonder, and the glint of comprehension, these fulfill my purpose as a teacher.
I guess that’s why the Lord said, “Be like little children to enter the kingdom of God.” I’m not really a very religious person, but that Biblical line really hit home after that first session with my new pupil.
5:09 pm on 4 Mar 2007
Hmmn,Fascinating.
5:14 pm on 4 Mar 2007
11:54 am on 7 Mar 2007
kids are frank.. hehe.
they say whats on their mind.. 
12:09 pm on 7 Mar 2007
yeah that’s so true. and that’s what makes them so endearing… well, most times anyway.