I was a teacher at primary school. I wanted to start the session with some ice-breaker activities, and thought family tree would be a great start. I gave the activity as a homework.
Next day there was a hustle in the class, everyone hopping and glancing at each other's tree. Some had huge joint family listed, some nuclear families of 3 or more. Someone even listed out his dog as his brother. Fair enough. But there was one kid in the class who had a blank tree, I went up to him and gently asked, "Did you forget doing your homework?". He nodded his head in a no and kept staring at the tree. "Where are the pictures of your parents" ? I asked after a long pause."I don't have a family", he mumbled. Everyone in the class fell silent, I understood there was something I was missing. Before I could say something, his friend pasted his own picture on his tree and said "Never say that, I am your family". Just like that other kids too came up and pasted their pictures. I just watched them silently.
I thought I was the teacher, in reality they taught me a lesson.
