Feeling out of place in the beginning, he was timid and quiet. It was most probably because he was surrounded by a group of people who he has never interacted with previously. But nevertherless, we welcomed him warmly. Not long after that, he started getting comfortable to us and also started making friends. Although there are many people in the class, he prefers to hang out with my friends and I, who he calls his 'gang' in the class.
Because he is not from a pure science class, he is unable to understand classes like biology, physics etc, or could not bother to pay attention when the teacher is teaching. It would be reasonable for an average person to assume that he would go around disturbing other students while they are trying to focus, but surprisingly he doesn't! Instead, he sits quietly at his table minding his own business, occasionally responding to teachers and interacting with people around him. The common perception teachers have for him is that he would be a niusance, but honestly that's such a huge misconception. As an individual who has previously interacted with him for the past 3 weeks, I am able to testify that Zaki is actually a really nice kid, and it's unfair for him to be perceived by a pre-conceived notion that he will be of a niusance to the class.
Furthermore, I have also talked to him regarding his disciplinary cases and what caused him to be switched to my class. In this context, an average reasonable person would expect him to commit some fairly serious violation of rules, but again to my surprise it wasn't. According to Zaki's statement, his friends were fooling around in class and apparently 'kacau-ing' the teacher in class. Finding his friends hilarious, he laughed. And because of that, he was sent to the discipline room, sent for counselling and was even sent to the PK HEM's room. Assuming his statements are true, I find it blatently unjustified for such a punishment to be imposed upon him. Let's be honest, it was not his fault his friends were fooling around, and laughing because it was funny does not make him complicit in any action, it's human nature which we can't control.
But giving in to the benefit of the doubt that Zaki is truly a problem child, then this method of correction does not solve the problem either. Children in their progressive years require attention from their parents or even siblings at home, and it's reasonable to assume that the main reason why Zaki is unable to be 'normal' is that he lacks the attention at home, and is trying to garner such awareness from teachers and friends in school through such actions. A similar case can be seen most often in ghetto areas of the United States likes Manhattan and Harlem. Families there are poor, parents are most likely out working from day to night or involved in gangs to mantain sustainability in life. In these sort of cases, children especially teenagers will form groups with their friends or even join gangs to get themselves the attention that is inherent to every human, but lacking from their daily lifestyles. This problem derives from a totally different reason as opposed to average disciplinary cases caused by average kids. And therefore, the treatment also has to be tackling the roots of the problem, and not follow the conventional methods which is ineffective at all. Similarly, we educate children in different methods because we acknowledge that different beings have a different capacity in learning. Zaki and his group of friends are different from the rest of us, don't expect them to improve through a method they are unfamiliar with and most importantly unable to be accustomed to, the blame is not theirs to bear.
But as a conclusion, Zaki has been a really good friend, and his presence has definitely made 4 Angsana a more active and brighter place.
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