Two kids were working to understand about Butterflies and Cats, One was chasing butterflies, catching them, putting them in closed jars, making them dance by putting music in the net….another one was chasing cats, holding them, kissing them, making them dance in his lap.
Does this all sounds gory, insensitive, inhuman, abusive, hurtful?…..well, this did sound and felt to us who were observing them doing all this. Some kids did mention about this in different ways, some of us controlled ourselves to know what is happening inside us and why?
Next week there was a notice about “Hurting cats and Butterflies and abusing them while learning – “Is this the only way to learn about insects and animals or are there other ways too?”.
Few other kids also read the notice and expressed how they have been feeling seeing all this, They gave some suggestions – what all can happen and how else they can learn about insects and animals.
One the child who have been catching butterflies shared ‘I know I did not take care of butterflies, sometimes I caught them with their wings and one of them got hurt and one died in the jar…I now no more do that, I understood they are also like us – they have homes and have parents. They live only few months and I am killing them so early. If I am catching them to study, I should not touch or hold with their wings and see them only in net and release immediately after observing. They are very sensitive and can die If I keep them for long for fun. I also understood that their are many rare species of butterflies and I should only watch them. I am also reading books about butterflies to know their names. Our hands are not made to catch and hurt butterflies they are made to eat food and do work ”
Other child who have been catching cats started with that he is only learning about cats and not hurting them, but when other kids questioned him on forcefully holding cats, rubbing on the their belly and not leaving even if they are mewing,,,, finally this child agreed to try other ways of learning about cats like only observing them how they are playing, reading about their body posture like what does different tail positions means, seeing them through camera and filming them to know their behavior.
Two kids, two different journey….with both we are working differently. With one child we are listening more and also pondering, while with another we are suggesting some more ideas and resources to learn. We have our own learning journey with them