Wednesday, April 21, 2010

patience.

i've been slaving away at writing blog posts that never finish... and this one probably doesn't fit anything i've written here before.. life happens.


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this is not about my student (just so you know).

*  

i attribute any calm i have at work to the miraculous peace of God, because this classroom can be a jolting ride. it's like the spinning teacups at disneyland. they look cute at first, but once you're in, you're just going in circles, repeating yourself tirelessly, and in the end, you feel like throwing up. i'm constantly wondering if what i do has any effect on these children.  

God knows we need affirmation. 
there's one particular child who is a real pro at drama:  

1. 
K: stop hurting me! 
me: bro, i'm like 30 ft away from you.  

2. 
K (to me): UGH, if i eat this school lunch my gurgling intestines will explode all over your dorky FACE. gimme your lunch NOW! (i have to give him some points. he used a million-dollar word. "gurgling.")  

you should see him fake injuries to skip P.E.  


but even in the middle of the negative behavioral spurts, mockery, intentional non-compliance, and oscar-winning performances, i'm now starting to see how much he takes on to me.  

he used to pester me about my age. i tell the kids, especially the boys, "rule #1, you never ask a lady how old she is." and then one day, in the cafeteria (because i have no breaks), the other children kept poking me about how old i am. he got up immediately and shouted, "YOU NEVER ASK A LADY HER AGE!" i was proud. i gave him a high-five.  

yesterday he was a real pill to the other teachers: hiding under the furniture, picking on other student's disabilities, complete refusal to do his work. it was near end of the day, and i was trying to get things situated with my own student. the teachers were trying to get him to write sentences, giving him the option of working with this EA or that one...  
and he just blurted, "i want to do it with miss karen! she's actually nice to me! and she listens!" so the teacher promised to work one-on-one with my student if i could get him to work, "alright k, you better get your work done - with your favorite teacher."  

we got it done, eventually, even if his sentences included: 
1. "agitated" - "I get agitated when commercials interrupt my tv show." 
2. "hopefully" - "Hopefully, i will go to my friend's house and play video games." 
3. "giant" - "Ms. Karen has a giant purse."  

he actually got his work done. and in the end, he asked me to draw a tree frog for him. "He really likes you," one of the teachers said.  

he patted my back and said, "thanks, ms karen."  

and then i realized i've been had.






too bad he spelled it wrong.



xo


currently listening: The Question by Emery
currently watching: Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.  Happy Earth Day.