Drama in EL Class

I have been teaching English to a group of kids since I moved to my new place. Initially, they came to my house almost everyday and would refuse to go home, not until late in the evening. So, I told them that they could only come to my place on every Monday and Thursday afternoon. Such arrangement is better as I have more time to myself.

Words spread and soon more kids attended my English lessons. The once at the door step ‘classroom’ upgraded to a decent ‘tuition centre’ in my house, equipped with proper table, chairs and stationary. However, that was not good enough. Yesterday afternoon, 2 more new kids came to my house and I didn’t have enough chairs for all. So, I instructed the little ones to sit on my deck chairs since they were not here to learn English. They were merely tagging along with their older siblings.

One of the kids, let’s name her F, didn’t bring her exercise book. I asked her why. She said she had lent it to K cos K wanted to copy what was taught the previous lesson. I asked F to go to K’s house to get her exercise book since she would need it and at the same time asked K to come along for the lesson. After 10 minutes, F returned empty handed. She said K was sleeping and she couldn’t get her book back. I let the matter rest and began my lesson.

Halfway through my lesson, I was startled by a woman’s shouting. K’s mother was standing at my kitchen window and was shouting at F. She was obviously chiding F for some reasons. So I walked to the kitchen and asked her what happened. She spoke in arabic which I didn’t understand. But with her exasperated gesture, I finally understood that F had told K not to come for my lesson because there were not enough chairs. So, K was deeply hurt and was crying at home. Damn those chairs! It was also then I knew F was not telling the truth. K was not asleep at all. Anyway, I told K’s mother that K could come to my house. It was not a problem at all. I could get more chairs from Darling’s office.

K appeared at my door step, teary eyed. The other kids were all staring at her in a rather hostile manner, probably because they thought that she had been such a baby. And probably, the rest of the kids including F came from the same extended family. So the immediate instinct was to protect your own family member. I made K sit beside me, hoping that it would make her feel better. I then asked K if she had brought F’s exercise book. K said F didn't lend her any exercise book at all. Immediately, there was a fierce exchange of gibberish which I didn’t understand again. Sigh! I didn’t expect my English lesson would be so exciting!

Anyway, throughout the whole lesson, K was very quiet while F and her cousins were engaging in some exciting conversations. They would look at K occasionally and snicker. Obviously, K was being obstracised. I knew it was a perfect moment to teach them the value of honesty and friendship but I couldn’t. I don’t speak their language and even if I try my best to speak to them in simple English, they wouldn’t have understood me. I felt helpless.

After the kids left, I took a hair band which I bought from Tlemcen and headed to K’s house. I wanted to make sure she was ok. Her mum invited me into the house and began narrating (in arabic) what had happened to her daugher that afternoon. I kept gesturing and repeating, “Pas probleme! Come my house! Pas probleme.” I think she got the idea as she replied, “Oui! Oui!” and smiled broadly to me. K was happy to see me and she seemed more relaxed in her own home. Anyway, I ended up having coffee at her house while having a conversation(which I didn’t understand what they were talking about most of the time) with her family members.

So, that was the drama I had in my El class. Hmm...I must definitely ask Darling to get more chairs for me!