On Courage

Being an ex-school educator, Teachers' Day has a very special meaning for me. While I am still in the line of moulding the characters of our young, even more so now that our circus arts programmes are geared towards character development, I am no longer on the receiving end of the pretty little gifts. Now I am proud to be part of the giving end - by helping our circus arts programme's students put up a performance for their teachers on Teachers' Day this year!

I think I learn to appreciate the students' efforts more now.

From not daring to perform, to trying to put together a routine, and swallowing the lumps of fear in their throats while making sure that they remember their moves, our students grew... My proudest moment was when a few of them told our instructor, "We think we are not doing enough tricks for our segment. We choreographed a longer routine yesterday."  Were these the same kids who had told us a couple weeks before that they dared not perform and would not turn up on the actual day??

We hope the teachers who had seen the performance saw past the smiles the kids plastered on their faces, through their screaming pounding hearts, to the sheer determination (they even asked to borrow the props home to practise) and bravery inside.

Succeed or not, it really doesn't matter. What's important is that you try. Our students hear this from us all the time. This is the one most important thing we hope they take away at the end of the programme. We like to think that those students who performed come out a little bit more courageous, a little bit stronger.

Unfortunately, we were unable to take pictures of the actual performance
because we were sweating with them backstage.
Well, they were perfect anyway!