On Life Orientation

I did a First Aid Course when I was in Grade 11. It formed part of the requirements for Life Orientation see, the amassing of various certificates, pretty A4 indications of our social responsibility and philanthropic natures, which we would slot into a portfolio to be randomly assessed by a government official at the end of our Matric Year. My school took Life Orientation as a subject pretty seriously, and regardless of the fact that I thought the written work was unnecessarily time consuming and occasionally downright silly (How will this help us in life?), I respect that our Principal, a man of integrity, chose to fulfill ALL department of Education requirements   rather than falsify evidence of work. Something we MMSG students were scandalized (and admittedly quite jealous) to hear other schools did.

It’s the little things though, the attention to tiny moralities, that contributes to overall success.  I remember the teachers who invigilated the Matric Exam Room (an image that is still fresh in my mind). Almost all of them carried a tasbeeh, as they patrolled the aisles, making Dua for us. They were an indescribable comfort to me as I wrote, and most definitely a huge reason for the success of each learner.  Yesterday, MMSG started their Matric Final Exams. The Grade 12’s this year, and I must apologize for the teacher-ish cliché, are truly special. Well, to me in any case. I taught them when they were in Grade 10, a year after I matriculated and they were my.favourite.grade. to teach, simply because they were so utterly good natured and genuine. The thought of going to their class was enough to make me smile. Grade 10, in addition, is quite an interesting stage in the life of a high-schooler.  It’s the crossover between 8-9, and 11-12(pardon the stating of the obvious). Essentially, Grade 10’s are serious, but not terribly so. And that makes for excellent teaching ground.

Back to the First Aid Course then. There are a few things I remember from the course, like the tying of a tourniquet (and its spelling apparently. Yay me). One point stands out though. The facilitator posed to us a scenario. A typical emergency, one of a house on fire, I think it was, and asked us what our immediate response would be to such an incident, if there were people trapped within the blaze.

Most of our answers went along the lines of jumping straight in and rescuing the victims. The facilitator, although he commended our braveness and heroism(Hahaha),had quite another view. Rescue workers need to first ensure their OWN safety before they attempt to secure the safety of another. There is no use in you trying to save someone whose drowning, and ending up drowned yourself(sic).

Now. Fairly logical principle this. But I I have recalled it time and again, for its symbolism. Be the change, start with yourself, people in glass houses…all bear some relation to this obvious but rather deep instruction.

Pretty random this post. I blame nostalgia. And the fact that I write on Wednesday.