Re-engaging with the world

Over the past 2 weeks I have started doing occassional substitute work at an international school.  For the most part very straight forward, though last week I was thrown in the deep end with an afternoon of primary one....
 The primary school use first names for teachers - when I told them my name was Cecilia - there were perplexed faces 'but what's your short name?'  'Can we call you Ms CC?'   Though Sr Zita's budgerigar came to mind, I told them sure.

So Ms CC it was.

The plan was to take them to a fundraising bazaar and then to the library. I got there to find they had already been to the bazaar and the library was unavailable for all but 20 minutes - necessitating quick adaption....

After show and tell of the various tacky rings, pokemon cards, lollies and comics that they had bought at the bazaar, we talked about the earthquake in Haiti, the reason for the bazaar -  where Haiti is, what happened and how the money might be used.  Most knew there had been an earthquake - and that people in Haiti needed help,  buildings had collapsed and  people  had died, and that this was a sad thing. One of the girls enlightened me...
'But when we die the spirit leaves our body and we shouldn't be sad'

Ah yes, Moving right along

I read them a book with a distinct message to be ecologically minded (the first one I picked up).   The protaganist, a little boy, becomes a convert to eco and starts turning off lights and picking up rubbish and appreciating the world.  The students were emphatic that they do turn off lights but when I asked if they had ever picked up rubbish, one very sweet Indian girl said - very logically 'In India there is too much rubbish to pick up'.  Well yes....  and I can just imagine the horror of her upper middle class Indian parents if their 6 year old walked along the streets of Delhi or Calcutta picking up discarded scraps.....
A Japanese girl informed me 'My Mum says I can't pick up rubbish cause it's dirty'. 
'Yes.... and it's very important to do just as your Mum says...and if we don't drop our own rubbish that's a very good start.'....

Arghhh... what a minefield for potential conflict with parents..

They were sweet, and it was fun.
But give me high school anyday...