Lesson Learned

I know, I know, you've never supposed to touch a kid. I thought that i had the relationship with most of my kids where we could joke around but apparently I got involved with the wrong kid. yesterday, I tapped a kid with a pencil to get him to pay attention and the extent that this incident got blown out of proportion was out of control! During 4th period, Mr. Presby came by to find out what happened and I told him, because the kid had claimed that i had thrown the pencil at him. The pencil did slip out of my hand when I tapped him but there was definitely no throwing. Presby asked for some names of kids in the area pretty much for "witnesses" but apparently this kid has a mom (who I met at Open House and seemed very nice) who also likes to blame everyone but the kid.

So the next day, Presby came in before school and said the mom had called and could I apologize? I said absolutely, and I don't mind saying it in front of the class because it's no big deal. He thanked me and said that's all I needed to do and if she still had a problem and wanted the kid out of the class, I probably wouldn't have a problem with that. I replied that i certainly wouldn't shed any tears.

The funniest part of the entire thing: Third period rolls around and a few kids come in. One of them comes up to me and says "MIss Yadlin, did you get in trouble for Gabe and the pencil?" And i replied, "No, but I'll apologize to him today." She says, "Well, if you have any trouble with him, then let me know. I'll take care of it." I cracked up. Then two more kids, the two quiet, sweet Vietnamese kids who sit at his table, tell me that they were called up to the office and said that it was a tap and Gabriel was totally blowing things out of proportion. I felt so bad for those kids and they were just pissed that he had to be called up to the office for something so ridiculous (for those good kids, getting a note to come see the VP is terrifying!) Even Gaby, a friend of Gabriels' was called up to the office and said that he had blown it out of proportion. It was really funny to see all those kids ganging up on the kid and pretty much all on my side. Very interesting!

Anyway, at the end of the period, I apologized and s aid I hope that we could put this all behind me. He claimed that the only reason that he said anything was because Presby came by and asked him why he was outside. Note: he was outside because he failed to do his homework again and I was sick of it, not because he was tapped with a pencil.

At least I know now that Christina has my back... good to know. :)