It was my first time helping out with this small sensory integration group for children ages 6-8. They had moved onto a table top activity where they were given a worksheet that was entirely in Cantonese. While I can converse in Cantonese just fine, my reading and writing are only at an elementary school level. I was watching a pair of boys going over their worksheet when one of them turned to me, asking me what to do:
Boy: What do we do now?
G (me): Keep reading the worksheet to see what it says.
B: (Continues to read and stumbles on a word) Do you know this?
G: Nope. Keep reading, what do you think it is?
B: (Shocked) You don't know this word?!
G: Nope.
B: (Still shocked) Have you gone to university?!
G: Yup. I have gone to university...
B: Then how come you don't know these words?!?! (Stares at me like O_O)
G: (Smiles and urges him to continue to discuss the activity at hand with his partner)
(Dialogue translated from Cantonese of course)
Children are so simple. They presume that anyone older than them would know more than them. Little do they know that I learn from them each and every day! =D Of course, he is still young and probably can't imagine studying entirely in any language other than Chinese.
That boy is a funny kid. I was so amused at how frank he was with me, but he probably didn't understand why I was smiling. I wasn't offended by any means, rather I found our conversation quite interesting. Working with kids makes me laugh so much, both with them and at myself. I think the ability to laugh at oneself and not be so serious all the time can be hard to develop as we're working towards adulthood and being working professionals. I'm happy that I've found a way to do that: working with children. =)
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