 |
| One of my girls getting a drink before her fight. |
The last few weeks of school brought lots of activities in and out of school. One I wasn't prepared for was temple festivals and my students fighting Thai Boxing. The first time I was taken to one, I thought we were just going for an hour or two. We left around 8 and got home well past midnight. Oops. Over the last few weeks I've gone to several others, and each one usually last 2-3 nights. You go, buy snacks and things, and then around 9 or later they will start the Thai Boxing, and that will go on until after midnight most nights. I have spent many nights standing with a group of girls as we cheer on their peers. They usually take my camera and so here are some of the results of their work.
I hate to admit it, but my students are tougher than me. That is not something I ever expected to encounter when I studied to teach elementary grades. However, having students who are 15 and 16 in sixth grade changes that.
I remember one night that probably wasn't my smartest move. I had just finished grading students finals and totaled their yearly grades. I had one student who was one point away from getting a 4.0. He had two assignments that he hadn't turned in, and if they had been turned in he would have gotten the 4.0. He also happened to be 16 years old, in sixth grade, and his friends said he was the best fighter. Here I am the little foreign teacher who has been here just one semester. My neighbor invited me to go to the temple festival that night, so we went to the temple like normal, and went to where our students were getting ready to see who was scheduled to fight that night. I see the student who has to turn in his assignments, call him over, and explain that he is one point away from getting a 4.0. He is taller than me, tougher than me, and also happens to be in the process of getting into the zone for his fight in a few hours, and here I am telling him to turn in his last assignments or he doesn't get a 4.0. What was I thinking. However, he graciously thanked me for telling him, waied me, and went to ask his friend to help him with the assignment. Two days later he and two other boys showed up at my house. They sat at my table and helped the boy finish the assignment and turn it in. I changed his grade to a 4.0 and he was so grateful.
 |
| The boy who earned a 4.0 |
So, I have to tell you, yes, my students are tougher than you, yes, they are stronger than me, but they are respectful and grateful when you give them a second chance. I don't think that boy will be continuing his education next year. I don't know what his life will bring, I can only hope that I have made a small difference by taking the extra effort and giving him a chance to earn a 4.0
 |
| The jedi at one of the temples |
 |
| other students take care of the fighter during the break |
 |
| traditional Thai Boxing dance before fighting |
