Making Friends

“Laura is one of my students in the Primary Three class. We noticed she did not have many friends in class and came to understand that she had a few past unresolved misunderstandings and arguments which did not make her too popular with her peers.  This affected her, especially during the first three months of 2019.

I decided to spend more quality time with her to understand. It was a process and after two months, we had slowly developed a bond.  She started to share why she had acted the way she did and as she shared, we discussed how and why her actions could hurt another person, better ways to make friends and be understood by her peers, such as sharing her thoughts and feelings calmly, learning that sharing is important and so is waiting for her turn.

As I shared, I could see that she was listening to what I was saying and over the weeks and months, I saw small improvements in her behaviour. She did not have any ill intention – she just did not know to explain herself in a manner that was appropriate and acted out in frustration when things did not go her way.

At the same time, I wanted Laura to know that she is accepted and cared for as she is, and I did it through words and actions to affirm, advise, and encourage. We also spent time together on her schoolwork and spelling tests, which improved gradually much to her delight.

By the end of 2019, I noticed that she was interacting much better with her classmates. They chatted and played together happily.

More importantly, I am glad that Laura is much happier, smiles more, and is managing her emotions much better than before. Her self-esteem and confidence have improved. My hope is that she will remember that she has overcome these challenges, know that she is able should another challenge arise and carry these values through her life.”

-Laura’s Teacher, Life Student Care