A Shadow

My present batch of children in class are very competitive. They will be always fighting over who gets to finish their work first or who gets to be called twice or thrice during participation. I am always being challenged by their mindsets of being first, being the winner, or being the all-knowing individual. I am saddened by the fact that they grow in strength knowing that someone is excluded in a game of tag or that someone is last in eating his or her snack.


I wasn't competitive when I was growing up and I was never needing attention. It came to my senses at an early age that I am an excluded member of the family. It must be my personality or my actuation that prompted  my dad to give me a cold treatment. I wasn't a bully nor a needy person, I was just being independent. I never asked for help. I never competed with anyone. I was quiet, reserve, and plain old simple in many ways.


I am happy to see the children in my class knowing how to assert themselves in many situations. I am also happy to see them understand how competition can be positive when channeled toward good things. I do teach them to be competent instead rather than competitive: competent in their skills to succeed in Kindergarten next school year. I want to see these competent students of mine bring forth glory so that I can bask myself in praise since my profession is always underrated.


I wish I was competitive enough to be challenged by work or competitive enough to rise myself from such a modest stature. However, I know that I am competent enough to survive difficulties, even if I am the last, knowing that I am doing things on my own, without stepping on others, without bullying people, and without hurting anyone in return. I became a person and a teacher because of my own skills. You became someone because you know someone, and now you become just a shadow.