She asked me why

Engaging multilingual children and teachers at a preschool in Atlanta
About a year ago, I began working at a private preschool, taking care of seven children about age four. The school teaches many languages and hires teachers from many countries, but the instructors rarely collaborated with each other, and the environment was unfriendly.
One day I noticed a mother who came early to drop off her daughter, and left quickly without comment. The little girl seemed totally disengaged. She rarely played with other children and did not talk very much. I began to play with her during recess time, and little by little she began to play with other children. We would sing songs for the children on the playground, and everyone would join in a chorus. One day, after I finished singing, this girl rushed off to the playground to embrace me, and all the other children followed her! Everyone in school began to marvel at her progress.
At school I tried to love the other teachers as much as I loved the children. Whenever I prepared special materials for classes, I shared them with colleagues. One teacher, who was initially very unfriendly, thanked me for collaborating with her. Her embrace touched me, because I knew she was very reserved. Now we are working together. We take turns caring for the children, helping one another when one is busy. The teachers have also begun to collaborate.
It was easier to love them but was especially difficult with one teacher. She often had negative views and created a heavy atmosphere. One day she complained about the dirty bathrooms, so I decided to clean them. On another occasion she complained about the refrigerator, so I cleaned
it, too.
When she saw me doing this repeatedly, she asked me why. I simply replied that they needed cleaning and I didn’t mind doing it. While other teachers fought with her, I listened to what she had to say, and her attitude gradually changed, addressing me more respectfully and showing more sensitivity. At the final evaluation the director said that she was very pleased with my job and she wants me to continue next year. In the end, love conquers all.
By Marta Velez
http://www.livingcitymagazine.com/