Lost in Translation

Hi friends. Do you ever feel like things are going too well and you are just waiting for something to happen? Something to burst your happiness bubble of puppies, rainbows, and Legos. Technically, my bubble was not popped but my student named Rex's was. He is a lovely, crazy child. He is always getting out of his seat to show me a new dance move. Actually, he will do anything to get out of his seat. He is a ham. He craves attention. He will do anything for it and it often times leads to trouble. By often, I mean almost every day. I love him. He is the most creative and hilarious child in my class. Last week he came to class with two baseball sized bruises, one on each arm. He told his teachers that his father did it. When I saw the bruises, I almost lost it. I knew right away that there was nothing that we could do about it. The school called his mother and asked about it, but her response was that he fell. Typical. Rex, being an attention hungry kindergartner, proceeded to talk about it the rest of the day and showed other students. I didn't know how to handle that. I have never faced abuse in the classroom, especially that age. I didn't want to make him feel bad or feel like it was his fault. I could see the confusion in some of my students eyes about why his dad would do something like that. Especially because we teach them every day about being kind to their friends and others around them. It made me feel even worse when I heard other students talk about times that their mother or father hit them. It was a day that I will never forget because it was a wake-up call that I was not in Kansas...er..America anymore. There are procedures that must be followed as an educator in the States. However, none of these exist here...yet. This past year Korea finally stopped physical punishments in schools. They are slowly changing and becoming more westernized in their beliefs, but there are still many things that need to happen. I know things like this happen in the States and everywhere else for that matter, but it still doesn't make it any easier. We, as educators and adults, are supposed to keep children safe. We are not supposed to turn our cheek and hope others can do it or allow children to go home to unsafe environments. I may not be able to keep Rex or other children safe outside the classroom, but I can tell you one thing, they will feel loved and appreciated the best to my ability while they are in my presence. Culture is culture. I may not understand it always, but it is the way it is and I will continue to respect it. However, I don't have to like it.