Join Jeremy's Assist for Kids

We are three teachers who served at the same elementary school in Fangliao Township, Pingtung County, during our TFT fellowship years. Over two years, we each encountered two boys — Hsiao-You and Ah-Sen — who often clashed but were, in many ways, alike. As we worked with them in different roles, we supported one another and ran what became a “relay race” of cooperation in accompanying their growth.

First Leg: Hui-Yu | Homeroom Teacher

Hsiao-You and Ah-Sen transferred into my class at different times. At first, they tried to be friends, but through quarrels and physical fights, they gradually pushed each other away. I still vividly recall when the much bigger Ah-Sen once shoved the skinny Hsiao-You in anger — that incident turned them into sworn enemies. While managing a large class, I also had to handle the tension between these two. As their homeroom teacher, I was at my wit’s end, so I sought help from my fellow TFT teachers at the school.

Second Leg: Yi-Ni | Subject & Counseling Teacher (2nd Year)

After one conflict in class, Ah-Sen was sent to my room to “cool down.” I found an old set of Dixit story cards and asked him to pick one that represented how he felt.
He chose a lion card and said, “This lion is me. I just want to play with them.”
I asked, “So what happened after you played together? They seem far apart and angry.”
He replied, “The lion’s holding a sword — it hurts people. That’s why no one wants to play with him.”

His words struck me. For months, Hui-Yu had told me how Ah-Sen tried to make friends through excessive teasing or rough physical gestures — and every time a classmate shouted, “Stop it!” or “What did you just say?!”, another conflict erupted. Each outburst was really another failed attempt at connection.

This lion knew he was sharp-edged, yet longed to be soft. While Hui-Yu worked tirelessly to keep classroom order, I saw my role as helping Ah-Sen disarm himself — to understand why he held onto that sword so tightly. Together, we started a “Transformation Project”:

• Step 1: Imagine “the person I want to become.”
  
  
• Step 2: Interview classmates — “How do you see me?”
  
  
• Step 3: Reflect and invite feedback.
  
  

Through this process, Ah-Sen slowly peeled off his labels, practiced lowering his guard, and began to notice kindness — repairing his friendships, including with Hsiao-You.

The two boys shared a remarkable bond. Both were raised by single mothers, struggled academically, and yearned for recognition. Both were avoided for their awkward ways of seeking attention, and both were often scolded for disruptive behavior. They became inseparable prank partners in class and gaming buddies after school — as if having each other could shield them from loneliness.
But like two hedgehogs trying to hug, they kept hurting one another. Their insecurity about imbalance turned into taunts, fights, and even bargaining over digital or toy “assets.” A friendship that should have been rooted in mutual understanding turned into rivalry and resentment.

I could help Ah-Sen, but I lacked enough trust with Hsiao-You — so Hui-Yu and I brought in a third teammate, Tsung-Tse.

Third Leg: Tsung-Tse | Subject Teacher (1st Year)

When they were in fifth grade, I taught them several subjects and used to joke that I was their “assistant homeroom teacher.” Occasionally, during free periods, I’d get calls from Hui-Yu because of new conflicts — and sure enough, those two were often involved.
Hsiao-You was the type to disappear around campus when upset. I would walk with whichever boy needed space, helping them calm down. Bit by bit, they realized someone was willing to listen. We even made little promises between us. So even after they advanced to sixth grade and I no longer taught them, I kept checking in.

When Hui-Yu later asked for help — tensions between the two had begun to affect the whole class — I teamed up with Yi-Ni. Over two periods, we guided them through a drawing activity to “see themselves through each other’s eyes.”

At first, Hsiao-You insisted the problem was all Ah-Sen’s and refused to engage. But when Ah-Sen bravely shared his drawing first — saying he just wanted to play but didn’t know how — Hsiao-You began to open up too. Under Yi-Ni’s facilitation, they eventually made a “friendship pact,” writing down how each hoped to do better for the other.

Final Leg: Hui-Yu | Homeroom Teacher

After our joint efforts, their relationship improved dramatically. Whenever tension arose, I’d gently remind them, “Remember your agreement in the meeting room?”
That simple cue was enough — they would pause, sheath their swords, and choose to talk. For me, this was the most meaningful change over the two years.

These transformations happened because no one faced things alone — and because each teacher’s role and strengths complemented the others. Without Yi-Ni’s steady emotional support for Ah-Sen or Tsung-Tse’s patient after-class companionship, the fragile connection between Hsiao-You, Ah-Sen, and me might have broken long ago.

In the classroom, teaching is only part of our work. What truly matters is believing that children can change — and being willing to hold them, and one another, through that long journey.