My Starfish

                      

                    
This is my starfish.  She is in first grade and one of our poorest students.  I know this because her shack is down the path from the school, directly across from a stinking hog farm.  Her one school shirt is filthy because they can only afford the cheap soap.  When I see her playing at home, she simply wears shorts and no shirt, probably because she only owns 2 or 3.  She gets a "bath" once a week by standing naked outside her house while her mother pours a bucket of water over her head.

Even in the poorest region of Cambodia, there is socio-economic status.  Everyone knows who has more money.  It's obvious.  Some children come to school with a backpack, new shoes, wear jewelry, and have clean clothes.  Some even bring spending money to buy treats at the snack bar.  Starfish doesn't have any friends, likely due to her poverty and extreme shyness.

In class, she is embarrassed because she knows she learns slowly and differently than the other children.  She's left-handed, and I have a suspicion that she is dyslexic but am not sure.   While the other students have all mastered writing the English alphabet, she still struggles.  Her letters are all different shapes and sizes, sometimes backwards.  She writes very slowly and has refused to ask for help.  One time, I noticed her crappy nub of a pencil had broken, and she was trying to hold the tiny broken piece of lead in her hand to write.  She seemed surprised when I walked over and sharpened her pencil for her.

Often, when I have scanned the classroom to see if anyone needs assistance or re-direction, I would see her, looking at me, hands frozen, smiling shyly, and looking confused.  I can tell she wants to learn.  She tries very hard.  Every day, I make a point to spend a few minutes of time to offer her intense individual guidance.

Last week, I rummaged through my apartment and filled a bag with some random items I didn't need:  a notebook, some pencils, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, chalk, a few stickers, and 1,000 riel (25 cents).  She looked absolutely shocked when I gave it to her.  The next day, she gave me a hug, which she had never done before.  Her demeanor in class has changed dramatically as well.  Now, she confidently holds up her paper to show me her work and participates. Today, during reading practice, I made a big deal about how great she was doing in front of the whole class.  She totally beamed.