STEEM SEA: Acts of Kindness| Giving Calm To My Student's Heart On Her Distressful Day

Hello to all friends of Steem Sea Community. Greetings of kindness from the Philippines!

For me, an act of kindness is not defined by “how much” do you give to someone in urgent need, but rather by “how urgent do you respond to attend that needs.” This is what I realized in my years of teaching. You don't wait to be rich to extend help. To calm a stormy heart out of your sincere act of kindness, there you achieve the most!

As a teacher, my life in school does not revolve only around paper works. Though tons of it just land on my table next after next, I can confidently say I can contain them all as I am prepared to live this kind of life.
But the current crisis added much to the tons of work a teacher must attend to.

Just like today, another student of mine needs my urgent help. She is still 15 and is not allowed to enter the school premises. Yeah, she is aware she is not allowed to get her learning modules herself because only guardians who are 22 and above are allowed.
Yet because of her interest to learn and not being left behind, she forcibly comes to school, not sure what would be the outcome though. Either which, assured or not, she has to because neither of her parents was available to get her "learning answer sheets" for this week.

She sent me a message asking me a favor if I can meet her at the entrance of the school. Of course, immediately I answered, “sure". Why not?... her, coming to school though not allowed shows her interest to accomplish her learning tasks. And it's my pleasure to help her.

So, I immediately went downstair to come into contact with her. She brought with her the accomplished learning tasks, and I have to give her the next set to be accomplished for the week.

Honestly, doing so is quite inconvenient on my part because my classroom is situated on the 3rd floor of a 4 story building. Though the school gate is not that far, going up and down is not that easy to do.

Look at that! What if many of them will ask my help, can you imagine me going up and down from the building? Luh! That would be so tiring you know… how much more if many of them will take turns, how do I look at the end of the day? tsk…

Another thing is, we are advised not to "directly touch" anything coming from students or parents. Even to share our ballpen with them is a big no! They have to bring their own ballpen.

We prepared small boxes labeled with a specific subject where parents do segregate the accomplished learning sheets of their children themselves. Then they will drop the empty envelope into the box allocated for it. Making sure to pick the prepared envelope with a new set of learning materials to be accomplished the following week. This way, there is no way for a teacher to directly touch anything coming from them.

Before giving these accomplished sheets to the subject teachers, those materials should first pass through under UV light for disinfection. So to get it directly from any student is a risk on my part. I can be a carrier of the virus to my colleagues, and at home where my kids wait for me. Nobody would want that, right?

Yet, in cases like this, where a student has no one to get her learning task for the week, I don't hesitate to extend my help. Others, maybe a few, might laugh scornfully at me, sneering at how I respond to it...well I'm not bothered anyway.

Everyone has their own struggle. I cannot let a child’s interest to study die down just because she is unfortunate that her parents are also very busy looking for food for the family... and for me to help ease a little of it is reasonable and valid.

You know, in today's kind of distance learning, having a busy parent is a real downside. As a class adviser, with all the inconvenience I'll be going through, how risky it might be, my students’ needs should be on top priority.

I believed someday, this simple act of kindness though at a moment won’t be rewarded, at least be imparted to my student's mind that once in thier life they received goodness of this kind... and might soon be appreciated, may it be under my watch or years after they graduated.

Here's my simple gesture of kindness shared to inspire friends to share theirs as well. Thank you for your time. Keep safe, 'till then.

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