How to be Honest and Keep Promises

How to be Honest and Keep Promises

Arum Jayanti

Editor : Jason B.

Children are the most honest innocent people on the planet. I really like children, because they are always telling the truth. They never lie about anything either good or bad. They never pretend to be good, or hide their bad intentions. They are just the way they are.

Children use language unpretentiously. They do not pretend to be so wise,or smart, and so forth. They are saying everything from what they see, what they hear, what they think, and what they feel without any filter. Things that sometimes adults forget to do. 

I have had a lot of interesting experiences while teaching children in an Islamic elementary school. I have learned a lot from them in class. Sometimes they make me giggle because of their questions and statements. They are really honest and innocent.

One day I taught about body parts. I asked the students who wants to volunteer to draw a human. I found all of them really excited to be a volunteer. They put their hands up and shouted “me please, me please, me please”. I chose a student who looked really excited. His name is Ahtar.

While Ahtar drew a human on the board, I explained to the students about body parts. When he finished drawing a human, he came close to me and said “Miss, I draw unhealthy kid”. I looked at the the board behind me. I could not stop giggling on the inside. He is so funny and honest.

I just smile and told him “Yes. He is looks unhealthy, but no problem. Thank you Ahtar”. He went back to his chair with a smile. 

source: https://parentingbydrrene.wordpress.com

I explained to them about body parts, nearly forty five minutes from head to toe. Afterwards, I asked them to write it down. I gave them some minutes. I walked around and a sweet shy girl wearing a purple hijab asked me in a whisper.

 “Miss, I don’t want to write it down. I will read surah Al Fatihah 7 times for this”. (FYI: in this school, we usually use surah Al Fatihah to punish them for naughty things they did).

“No, you should write it down. If  you don’t write it down, you will forget someday. you can’t study without notes.”

“Aaah. She replied with a cute face, and then started writing.”

I just smiled and walked around. One of  the students who sits in the back row called me. And then I sat next to him. His name is Milhan. He is really cute like boboho, with cubby cheeks and likes to be rowdy in classes. I can say, this student is one of the “trouble makers” “active persons” in the class. He likes drawing on his hands with his colour markers or absurd singing while other students attend to the lessons.

“Miss, Could I write this down later as homework?”

“No. You should do it now.”

“Miss, could I only draw the body part without giving the meaning?”

“No. You can’t study when you just draw the body part without meaning.”

“Miss, could I do this at home?”

“Why should you do it at home?”

“I write so slow.”

“You write so slow, because you are playing while other students while writing. 

Do you understand about the body parts that Miss already explained?”

“Yes. I understand.”

“What if you forget when you are at home and you forgot some English words of  body parts? How will you take the note? Who is going to help you?”

“I will search the internet when I forget your explanation.”

“Do you want to promise to Ms. Arum to take and finish the note at home?”

“Yes. I promise Miss.”

The next day I asked him for the note. And he really did it.I really appreciate that at seven years old and makes trouble in a class keeps his promises. Things that “adults” sometimes forget to keep.