Entitlement...or Thanksgiving? The poisonous attitude

that the world owes me

Entitlement.

The very best antidote for this

is

Thankfulness.

A grateful attitude for what

I already have.

by Cynthia Jean

A poem encapsulating what we so desperately need to learn, that we need to work hard and take responsibility, as well as be grateful.

The above poem vindicates the disappointment I felt when it became more evident that, despite our being an amazing school, too many of our children do still have a distorted sense of entitlement and values. Very often, we draw a comparison with the behaviour of children in other schools, however, I do not believe that by noticing that others are ‘bad’, we can say we are ‘good’, what do we then use as our measuring stick? Accepting mediocrity is not an option. Our school, as a whole, has so many positives and we can certainly not take away from that. Having said that, the constant defiance against following rules can only lead to unruliness. Again, the children mimic what they constantly see throughout society. We just need to look at how rules of the road are blatantly ignored, even outside our very own school; this does not make their behaviour acceptable; In turn, we need to ensure that the children make better choices if they are to make a difference and become the future of our country.

Let's break down the 5 school rules:

Follow an instruction the first time it is given: How many times do we, as parents, fall into the trap of repeating an instruction over and over again, like:"Please go and brush your teeth". It creates an expectation that instructions do not need to be obeyed unless repeated. The same expectation is carried over into school when simple instructions are not followed and ongoing extensions are expected around homework and assignments.

Keep your hands, feet, objects and unkind words to yourself: This was the aspect that disappointed me the most while watching some of our school camera footage. The number of interactions that involved some form of physical engagement was disconcerting. The response from the children was that they were playing and, in general, that is how they interact. Whilst I am aware that rough play is beneficial for the development of a child as during which they learn physical skills - how their bodies move and how to control their movements. They also develop language skills through signals and non verbal communication, including the ability to perceive, infer and decode. Children develop social skills through turn-taking, playing dominant and subordinate roles, negotiating and developing and maintaining friendships. Rough play needs clear boundaries, safety regulations and monitoring for this to not degenerate into bullying. On the Foundation Phase field, wrestling takes place and inevitably a child ends up going home stating he was bullied, as the wrestling either hurt him or did

No 12 15 June 2017

Craighall Primary Clarion

not result in his desired outcome. The rule above includes zero tolerance for that kind of play, as we see more harm than benefit. However, such play could perhaps become a monitored activity during a play date. The senior children engage in games that involves slapping, kicking, pulling hair, all activities that certainly do not reflect a sense of affection despite the belief that it does. This kind of behaviour will foster a warped idea of the basis of a friendship and could lead to aggressive behaviour in adults. Furthermore, the consequences can be dire if a playful, but hard slap results in a fall or in a full physical altercation. Surely we cannot tolerate a generation that views such behaviour as positive? Our intrinsic nature should be to love, care and treat each and every fellow human with respect.

Listen while someone is speaking: Interrupting someone while they are speaking has always been perceived as rude, however, now it seems to be the norm that each child's demands are met immediately, probably due to the need for instant gratification. This disrespect then spills over into the classroom where children speak while the teacher talks, taking full advantage of their soft nature. This is not conducive to a productive learning environment and changing the teachers into ‘screaming banshees’ is certainly not an option. Surely this rule can, once again, be instilled in the children as the right way to act in a social setting and in the classroom.

Look after all your property: A sense of entitlement is evident in this aspect as well, in that the children believe that someone will pick up after them and return their items to them. Many items not being labelled exacerbates this as the children come and ask to retrieve the lost item with the expectation that they can take any unlabelled item. Property, in this case, also refers to stationery which is often not labelled, nor well-looked after nor replenished. Responsibility in this area needs further improvement.

Behave appropriately: This rule can be applied to any form of behaviour and does encompass all of the above. However, at school we refer to this rule when discussing manners and general behaviour which will lead to an innate sense of decency.

Talking about moving away from entitlement and learning to be grateful, Youth Day, which will be celebrated tomorrow, highlights the issue of rights. What happened in 1976 is horrific and commemoration is vital in order to remember and mourn but also to ensure that this is never repeated. The issue really revolved around the right to choose the Language of Learning and Teaching, which was linked to wanting a language that would allow for ultimate learning. This was not entitlement this was a right. It's now 40 years later and yes, according to the Bill of Rights everyone has the right to basic education. The children at Craighall Primary should be so grateful for having such dedicated and passionate teachers, an extensive extra mural timetable, a school that is constantly trying to create a beautiful, loving and safe environment for all.

Do you remember the Limpopo textbook saga in 2012 when textbooks weren’t delivered to school children? Do you know that this year, at St Patrick’s Senior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape, it was reported that there are only 14 classrooms for 1 630 pupils? There are still pupils, like the ones from Tsakani Primary School who use buckets as chairs and their laps as desks. It would be remiss to forget the ones who have to walk great distances to school every day, because there aren’t any decent schools in their area, or any transport to get them there, or even money for transport to get to school. All of these obstacles make it harder for a child to learn, and disrupt their quest for opportunities and a better future.

So let's please continue to create an awareness of the benefits of following rules and foster respect for each person. Let's teach each other to work for what we would like to have and not feel entitled to it. Show gratitude for what we have received, in particular, if it exceeds our expectations. Kindness and gratitude cost nothing and can achieve so much. We would like to extend our gratitude to all families who assisted in whatever way possible, to try and lighten the plight of the people from Knysna/Plett. This is the true sense of community and care which we constantly refer to. THANK YOU!!

Staff News: Happy upcoming birthday to Miss Burton (Grade 1) – 27 June.

Kind regards A Prout-Jones Principal

Classifieds While the school accepts outside adverts, we are unable to take responsibility for the nature and quality of the services offered)

My name is Zoni, I am looking for either full time or part-time domestic or caregiver work, please contact me on

073 315 4039 if you can help

Drama classes for children:

Group classes in Parkhurst and Bedforview

are offered. Contact Tiffany for

further information: 079 5050 2752,

tiffanyh@kto.co.za,

www.kto.co.za