A Case of the Lies and FORGIVENESS

 Teaching is a blessing. But it is not always easy, and this past week has proven to be a very difficult one for a number of reasons.

I am still learning about my students, what their likes and dislikes are, what they are good at and where the struggle. It is my job as a teacher to meet the student where he/she is and help them to succeed. I told my students that I want every single one of them to be successful in my classroom and that we will work together as a team to make that happen. Unfortunately this week we were set back with a particular incident.

I brought some things from the US to have in my classroom here. Things for my treasure box, and then also other learning manipulatives and teaching supplies. I have my treasure box put away, but for the learning manipulatives and teaching supplies, I have them in a wall hanging organizer in the classroom. My students know that I brought those from the US and that it is all for me and for them. To help me teach better and to help them learn better. We had this conversation a few times...I wanted to make it very clear.

I have one student whose mother is Ghanaian and his father is from Denmark. They are living here in Kumasi and all 9 or some outrageous number of children attend ICS. Well, last Tuesday, we were finishing Literacy and it was getting close to snack time and the students were moving about, getting their snacks and drinks ready and this boy (I will call him Kwame for the sake of the story) was rustling about his backpack. He pulled out a sticker that said "I did my BEST!" WOW, I looked at it and it looked exactly like the ones that I brought from the US. So, I questioned Kwame and asked him where he got it and he told me that someone was selling it outside of the Preschool. Hmm...that is ironic isn't it??? So, I went over to the wall hanging organizer that has my supplies in it and looked through the stickers and I couldn't find the pack of stickers that said "I did my BEST!" So, l gave good old little Kwame a second chance to come clean. I asked him if he took the stickers from Ms. Johnson's organizer? He said NO, I bought them at the preschool. I asked him how much he bought them for and he hesitated with an answer. He said 30 pesewas. I said ok and let him go have his snack break. I honestly was a little frustrated, but with all the stress of school, I quickly forgot about it...until...Friday.

I was eating lunch with the teachers and some of my girls ran into the room yelling MS. JOHNSON, MS. JOHNSON, MS. JOHNSON!! I had no idea what they were going to tell me. I just looked at them and they began to say that 3 out of our 5 class puzzles are missing!! OH BOY WAS MS. JOHNSON NOT SOOO HAPPY! I didn't finish my lunch, I just got up and walked back to the classroom. Sure enough, more things were missing out of my wall hanging organizer. I started questioning some of the students, they were giving me names of people. I called those 2 people in and everyone else left, I searched their bags they had nothing. I asked them if they knew anything about the missing puzzles...and guess whose name came up in the conversation?? Yep. Sure enough. Kwame.

I told my assistant, Ms. Apam about what was going on and so she started helping me. I called for Kwame and he came into the classroom with me and Ms. Apam. I asked him again about the stickers and he still had the same story, I asked him about the puzzles and he said he had no idea. He was uncomfortable and dying to get out of the room. I asked him over and over again if he was telling me the truth and every time he told me yes Ms. Johnson, I am telling the truth. I couldn't do anything. I had no evidence that he had the puzzles. So, I told him that I was going to leave him in the room with Ms. Apam and he can talk to her and I will leave. About 10 minutes later Kwame walked out of the room and didn't say anything to me. I asked Ms. Apam what had happened and sure enough, he had taken the stickers and the puzzles. He was under strict orders to bring them back to school on Monday. So, I let Kwame be the rest of the day on Friday. When school was over and I was giving my students the 3 H's (hug, handshake or high five) Kwame came to have his, and I asked him what H he wanted, and he told me he didn't want one. And I said, oh, but why, Kwame? He didn't answer. So I just told him to wait in the room and I would be with him in a minute. I finished giving the 3 H's to all the students and went back into my room. I sat and talked with Kwame. I told him that I knew he had my stickers and puzzles. He started crying. It's a tough lesson to learn, and everyone has had to learn it in some form or fashion. It's better to tell the truth than to lie about it. KwameKwame opened his backpack and pulled out about half of the stickers. He said, "Ms. Johnson, I am sorry and I will never do it again. I already used some of the stickers, but these are the ones I have left." I gave him a hug and said thank you, I forgive you, and be sure to bring me the puzzles on Monday. Kwame left with tears in his eyes, but, the important thing was, he knew I still cared about him, forgave him, and he learned his lesson. 

I love Kwame, regardless of the lies that he told me. I'm not perfect, nor is Kwame, nor are you. We all struggle, we all mess up, we all fall short day in and day out. We should not forget to give thanks to the ONE who forgives us and loves us just the same.

"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love." Bryant H. McGill

God Bless