Be a caring person 2019-05-18   Author : Angbeen Muzammil

Mary Catherine Bateson stated, “Caring can be learned by all human beings, can be worked into the design of every life, meeting an individual need as well as a pervasive need in society”. Caring is an integral component of life, across all societies and cultures, yet often it is the one aspect that is neglected, or seldom paid attention to in full, due to its abstract nature. However, it is utterly essential to promote and encourage caring and thoughtfulness, especially in institutions, whose effects take on a far larger role than one may realise.

RDFZ places immense significance upon caring for all those that encompass one’s immediate environment and to exhibit it adequately. On Friday, December 5, house leaders Mrs Suzie Michie and Mrs Cindy, homeroom teachers Mr Michael, Miss Marcia and Miss Alice, these teachers of Taihang house collaborated in organizing an insightful performance to showcase the hard work and arduous effort teachers employ on a daily basis, especially homeroom teachers, in order to create a caring and solicitous environment bereft of stress and worry for the students. The objective of the presentation included causing students to behold a facet of teacher life unknown to them previously, to recognise teachers’ dedication and commitment to their students in full, to acknowledge that and respond to it in gratitude and appreciation, in lieu of merely accepting it as a gesture to be taken for granted. The teachers ultimately rendered a delightful and entertaining performance, whilst simultaneously allowing students to gain insight and knowledge regarding the extent to which teachers sacrifice extra hours and personal time to construct a healthy and scholarly setting, that not only entails academics, but nurturing and grooming of character as well. At the end of the weekly assembly, Ms Michie asked all teachers and students to get their phones out and encouraged them to send a caring and loving message to at least 3 people.

Accompanying this, Taihang house took the initiative of organizing a caring activity in the hallways during the short break wherein several students were appointed each day for 1 week to express their care and kindness to other students and teachers in the form of handshakes, high-fives as well as hugs, successfully planting a smile on their faces and making their day.

As mentioned earlier, expressing care for one another in an institutional setting is often disregarded, and its effects are greatly underestimated. High school stipulates crossing the bridge that segregates one from adulthood, therefore, it is essential to display care and kindness to help high school students to navigate through this arduous life-altering time period. Students are faced with the prospect of being distanced from their family members as high school comes to a close, and University awaits them right across the corner. Studies have shown that contemporary high school students undergo similar anxiety levels to patients in mental institutions in the 1960s, and in the Tedx Talk “All The Lonely People”, it was established that loneliness is one of the biggest killers of teens and young adults alike, further emphasising the significance of creating an accepting and sympathetic atmosphere, especially in a location where students as well as teachers devote most of their time. 

Therefore, to fortify such a healthy environment for the school staff, RDFZ also holds charity auctions from time to time. The items auctioned usually pertain to philanthropic and humanitarian services, and the proceeds strictly go to trusted charities as well as to the House funds. This activity is always met with enthusiasm and zeal, enabling students to interact with charitable ventures, and harbor a liking for them. Aspects such as this display RDFZ’s multi-dimensional curriculum, which not only focuses on academics but character-building and grooming as well.

Caring, in essence, promotes a healthier outlook on life, and though it is not a fantastical remedy for the many issues and obstacles in life, it certainly enables one to cope with them more effectively and pragmatically.