Not for the Faint of Heart ( or Sensitive Ears)

Today is Friday, which is my favorite day of the week, so it should have been fabulous. But everything seemed off today. This morning as I made an extra half pot of coffee for my husband, as I do each morning, I forgot to put the carafe back in. Pushed the on button. Yup. Coffee all over. Then at school during morning duty a kindergarten boy spit on another kindergarten boy. Then a 6th grade boy punched another 6th grade boy in the stomach. He said it was a "reflex." The other boy was doubled over on his side on the ground.

I thought the worst had passed. I was relieved that I could finally just close my door and teach my wonderful students. And all morning long it was just like that. We watched a video on animal adaptations and had a great discussion. I worked with my fourth graders on equivalent fractions. They literally sang my praises during their lunch. The came Literacy Intervention, my worst part of the day.

I hate this half hour. The three fourth grades intermix kids for extra literacy support. Ideally, all kids are getting support at exactly what they need support with...The reality is that all of my kids leave except for 3, and about 27 other kids come in from the other two 4th grade classes. These are not my kids, and the teachers they come from seem to allow behavior that I do not allow. It's stressful, and I spend the half hour missing my kids. I do have para educator help, so she takes half and works with them "somewhere else (I don't really care where; just take them away!)." There are some hard kids in the other two fourth grade classes, and I don't think either teacher is strong with disipline.

Anyway, one kid that comes to me for this half hour is Johnny. Johnny is autistic. He really should be in a self contained class, but his parents refuse. I had Johnny's sister two years ago-a wonderful girl whom I loved. But her parents were odd. Anyway, Johnny comes and only wants to read. If I try to get him to do more, he rebels loudly. So, do you know what? For a half hour, do I want to "work" with him and have him yelling and interupting the half hour for everyone? No, I do not. So I let him read.

Today when the kids came, one girl comes up to me and says, "Mrs. Teacher, Johnny isn't here right now because he is having a fit."

"In the hallway?" I asked.

"No," she replied. "Back at class." Good, I thought. Keep him there. I don't need to deal with him today. But before I know it, in walks Johnny. He sits down on the floor in the middle of the the room, and screams and cries. Also as if on cue, the office calls me. "I Johnny there?" the office lady asks.

"Yes," I yell, over Johnny's cries. "Can you hear him?" He was yelling, screaming, and crying so loudly I could barely hear Mrs. Office Lady over the speaker, and that is one loud speaker. "Is someone going to come get Johnny?" I asked hopefully.

Now Mrs. Office Lady sounds flustered. "Well...Aah...Mr. Principal and Mrs. Education Assisstant are both in a meeting right now. You'll have to wait until they are done."

"Great," I replied. Of course, no kid is doing their work. They are all intently watching the drama unfold, even though most are well-aquainted with Johnny and his behaviors. I work hard to get the kids back on track, and totally ignore Johnny. His crying does subside to a whimper, but when he hears someone snicker about him, he starts up again: "Why does everyone hate me?" or "I'm having a bad day..." You and me both, I think...

Soon, Mrs. Office Lady calls back. "How is Johnny," she asks.

"Still crying," I answer.

"I'll send Ms. Special Ed Teacher over," she said.

"OK," I reply. I continue to ignore Jonny.

Soon Mrs. Special Education Teacher comes. She walks into my room and sees Johnny reading quietly on the floor in the middle of my room. She looks confused and walks up to me. "What's going on?" she asked. I relayed that Johnny came into my class screaming and crying, but now he's settled. So she leaves.

After school Mrs. Special Education Teacher sent out an email to many people, including me, Mr. Principal, and Johnny's teacher. She said, "I was called to Mrs. 5th Grade Teacher's room to get Johnny, but when I got there, he seemed to have de-escalated. Perhaps Mrs. 5th Grade Teacher can shed some light on what got him upset when she talked to him."

I replied, "I didn't talk to him. I ignored him. He came to me yelling, screaming, and crying. He was so loud I couldn't hear the speaker when the office called. I sent an email to Mr. Principal to please send someone to come get him."

Mr. Principal replied, "I was in a meeting, unfortunately. Best to call the office for things like that."

I replied, "Well, the office seemed to be aware that something had set Johnny off, as they called me soon after he came. Johnny was yelling and screaming so loud I couldn't hear. When I suggested that someone come get Johnny, Mrs. Office Helper seemed flustered, and told me that you were in a meeting so I'd have to wait. I didn't counsel Johnny. I ignored him."

Then I went home. No wonder I'm so worn out all the time. What other job is so draining?