candles, lanterns
greet the sky
hello full moon

Happy Thadingyut Full Moon Festival! 

In any family, in any culture, exists the feeling of pressure. Whether this is from a helicopter parent who means well but is misguided to the children of dependent users who try against the odds not to follow the same path or children of immigrants who walk the line between new and old, always pleasing some, never pleasing all. Even for picture-perfect families, there are hidden pressures which people conveniently crop out of the still image. Money, health and the deceptively simple act of getting along are universal pressures so it seems to me.

Students in Myanmar are not typically taught how to self-study. The concept is as foreign to them as the idea that school is a fun place. School is a duty which the government have enforced on students while equipping teachers with the means to ensure upstanding behaviour through any means necessary. We have mentioned about the assemblies with the canes, the teachers with the canes and the children who are caned before. This is a regular part of Myanmar school life, although I wish it weren’t.

Van and I sat aghast in the back of the classroom as students looked at one another, spoke at one another and read from each other’s scripts. Van took photographs of this as evidence. Evidence of what exactly I wasn’t certain because it seemed as though everyone in the entire class was plagiarising and cheating.

Singular or plural I hear you ask. Why isn’t it mouses you may say. At 10 pm the electric has gone out and ten minutes after we descend into a natural moonlit darkness there is a squeak followed by the patter of small claws as two mice run angrily across the supporting rafter of the house. It is as if to say “we’re here! notice us!” Well, the little so and sos have certainly achieved that aim as they run past me at 4 am, barely a foot from my bed!

As I am exposed to a greater variety of workplaces, some of which are not from the charity sector, the majority of people seem to lack intrinsic motivation. There seems to be a general feeling that work is to be endured not enjoyed.

A fundamental pervasive concern of teachers is am I getting through to these students? Depending on the type of students you teach, the more delayed the gratification can be. To the point where I must reassure myself that gratification will happen in another 10 years’ time. I have worked with students who reject or are rejected from mainstream school and are often, although not always, from disadvantaged backgrounds. The most tangible compliment I received was “You ain’t actually a bad teacher Miss.” This can be hard on the psyche.

In order to achieve a goal, you must believe that the time and effort input is worth the outcome. From our experience in Myanmar, ambition is generally not valued as it threatens the social bond and group dynamic.

Our trainee has expressly been told by parents to beat knowledge into students and monks have told me that without a cane, our ideas are unlikely to work. Of course, our ideas are unusual enough with a cane, but without one; well, forget it! On this subject, I have an irreversibly bias viewpoint. I am fully aware that my bias colours my ability to empathise and to walk in their shoes. There is never a situation where I feel beating is appropriate; at school or at home. I have walked in shoes wet with sores and blood before, I don’t wish to cover another mile.