After it was over, I pulled a student into the hallway and bluntly asked, "Donovan, why don't you do any work in my class?" An embarrassed smile cracked his lips as he replied, "I don't know, I guess stuff at home makes it hard to focus." Euphoria and defeat set in. Euphoria for the fact that he had opened up to me; defeat for my utter helplessness in solving this student's primary trouble. Although it seemed as if I could not help, he did provide me with his grandmother's phone number and told me that if I called her, she could explain to me what was going on.
After it was over. Indeed.
It. The loud bang resounding from inside my classroom. It. One of the more horrifying fates that could have occurred in my five second absence as I led a student across the hall. Yes, it, the reason the freshman academy administrator called in a search on my students.
The loud bang? Oh, nothing but a firecracker exploding in my classroom.
As I entered after the sound, I remained cool. I barely blinked irregularly for the reason that this loud bang was remarkably similar to one heard last week when a metal chair leg was cracked against a metal desktop. Hastily asking a student to write down what she saw, I called in our administrator. No one confessed.
I taught the rest of class with two safety officers searching my students one-by-one for contraband. By the end of the block I remained uniformed of the result of the search. However, later I was approached by a face-down, rightfully vanquished Taion, who apologized for the happening. Again I was approached with an apology, this time by two students asking forgiveness for their part in the crime- hiding a lighter and a spare firecracker. The perpetrators received 10 days and 3 days, of out-of-school suspension.
Grinning in shock and disbelief, we march onward!
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1 comment:
Dear Katy,
I just caught up reading your blog and want to "shout out" to you for getting up and going to work each day. Truly, I don't know who has the more difficult job right now, you or your brother. Let's just say the Fisher kids take on challenges!! I talked with Ellen this morning. She leaves Damascus on Monday and goes to Paris for a week, then home to Oakland on the 24th. I hope we will see you during the holidays, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thank you so much for finding the time to keep up your blog. Although it is painful at times, remember you are making a difference in those kids lives. They know deep down that you care. It probably scares them to admit how much they want and need to be cared for. Also, shout out to North Carolina for voting for Barack! Thinking of you, Laura
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