(1067) Davis' Method

More than fifteen years ago, I was resident in Silver City. There is a boy whom I tutored for quite a while. My mother remembered him as the fellow who carried my cockerel home. My mum loved visiting me as she enjoyed the wet markets and the hawker food in a small town. We kept chickens that are allowed to roam the neighbourhood as we then had indulgent neighbours who liked a village atmosphere.

Back to that bird, my pupil was a typical full-blown dyslexic, boundless in energy. Within two weeks he ran the cockerel to death and cried for quite a few days for the deed. I guess the bird died of fear, not of dehydration and starvation as my children imagined. My son was mad at my pupil for a while, until he realized that death at the soup pot is no better than death in a marathon run.

My pupil was born biologically by a mom who had nine sons before him. He was given away because the poor woman could not imagine raising another rambunctious boy. Poor lady! My pupil's mom has two other biological children before him. She and her husband loved the adopted child even more than their own biological children as he came in their older years.

As the parents are rich, they brought in an international expert to treat my pupil's dyslexia. And as a tutor, I received one afternoon's training in helping the child to read. There was a follow up visit, can't remember how many months later. I was given a short interview to feed back on the child's progress. The technical problems had been solved, the remaining difficulties I faced were more of the home environment and the lack of discipline from home. Shortly after that, I moved back to my home state. From mutual friends, I learnt that my pupil was still having problems because the parents did not change in terms of their indulgence.

As I close my eyes, I can see the animated face of my "chicken killer", he was personable, fascinating, exciting to be with, and charming if he wanted something from me. Given the correct guidance, he would go far on his interpersonal skills alone. Conversely, if he was given a free rein, he could bring heart-ache and tears to any loving parents.