The Samoan Way

It happened again, but this time I reacted differently...I actually opened my mouth. On Friday the same teacher that I witnessed punching students in the head walked into my computer lab while I was having a class. I was helping some students at their computers when I heard pounding. I looked up, and to my surprise, there she was, punching one of my students. I
yelled her name and then stood there shaking in utter shock. I approached the student that she was beating and asked her what she did. She told me that she was playing around and then I asked her how it made her feel and she told me it made her sad and I told her that it made me sad too.

We had a teachers retreat over the weekend and I prayed for not only the right words to say, but the right timing for her to receive. I didn't feel that any time was right over the weekend, but when she came into my lab today I knew it was the right time. I told her that I appreciate her generousity but I was upset about what happened and that I want to provide a safe environment for my students so I asked that she would not do that while the kids are under my supervision. I knew that there was nothing I could say to her to make her change her mind about the abuse, or what she considers "the Samoan way", but I know that I can provide an hour a day of abuse-free adult interaction and that means a lot to me.

Today after school the student who was beaten in front of me on Friday came into the computer lab after school to sit and chat with me. That is the first student to come and hang out with me! I am blessed and honored that she feels comfortable and I'm sure protected with me.

Maybe I can't change the world, but if I can change one person's world then my two years of service would be worth it all.