One of the great things about the kind of special ed class I covered for six days was that they got dismissed from school about ten minutes early. This is so they can get on the "special" buses and be out before the crush of the normal dismissal time.
Tuesday, my first day with the group, the instructional aide (IA) dismissed them at the appropriate time. Another IA walked them out. Mr. C returned shortly thereafter to inform us that Davion had not gotten on his bus. Instead, he ran away.
Apparently (according to Mr. C), there's a girl. And Davion wanted to walk home with her. Permission from Davion's mom was sought... and denied. So, Davion was supposed to ride the bus. Per his mom. But he didn't want to. At least, that's what Mr. C thought the issue was.
Administration was contacted about the incident that day. And again on Wednesday when Davion again ran away rather than getting on the bus.
Thursday, an assistant principal arrived to check on Davion. Did Davion then get on the bus with her watching? Nope. He ran right by her and again missed his bus.
So, Friday they sent out a counselor to talk to Davion before it was time for dismissal. Ms. K pulled him outside to discuss things. At one point I saw her on her phone, apparently trying to call Davion's mother again. (The last time, the mother had said not to call her anymore. And Davion had to ride the bus.) I don't think the mother picked up.
Did Davion ride the bus on Friday? I have no idea. On Monday, Davion was out due to a suspension.
Ah, bliss. Some students... They make the day nicer just by being absent. Davion isn't the worst student I've ever encountered, but he was definitely the problem child in this class. While there were other issues, Davion was the one who was deliberately defiant.
My last day, Tuesday the 7th, Davion returned. And he explained his suspension. (We were curious.) Ms. K suspended him for cussing, although he denied the charge. He said that he had said "mother trucker" and Ms. K misheard. Since a day prior he had called either me or the IA (his story changed) a b*tch, I wouldn't put an f-bomb past him.
But the bus? I have no idea if he finally rode it or not. I didn't get a chance to find out before leaving for a new assignment the next day. He's being watched...
The silly things students do battle over...
And all because he wants to walk home with a girl. Ah, hormones!
ReplyDeleteraging hormones
ReplyDeleteYup
DeleteHi mother sounds about as cooperative as he is.....
ReplyDeleteCould be. Could be that she gave her answer and doesn't want to give it again (although, at that point, she should tell her son what he should be doing).
DeleteI agree with this; the mother should have been the one disciplining him for not listening to what she wanted him to do. The school shouldn't have had to be involved after the 1st day when he didn't get on the bus. I think I would have, as the mother, gone to school at the end of the day and escorted him to the bus.
Deletebetty
Ideally, that's what was happening. But it's hard to know.
DeleteI can totally understand the mother not answering . If she had already told them he was to ride the bus and not to call wny was the school continuing to call. It is the mom's job to dole out the discipline. If the kid doesn't get on the bus then their job should be complete. Sounds to me like NO ONE can control this kid. They just need to get a jail cell ready for him. That is where he'll end up! I am sure she has already told the kid what she expects from him!!
ReplyDeleteApparently he was behaving better than usual that week, so progress is being made.
DeleteThe mom is getting tired of a lifetime of trying to get Devion to see his problems and to keep him there. She probably sees the end of the time when she has any sort of control over him, and he plummets into bad decisions. I feel badly for Devion and for his mother.
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest a strict regimen of heavy duty counseling for the both of them. This problem has a source.
Yeah, that sounds good. I hope that's what they're doing.
DeleteThat's not a fun problem to have, and at a certain point "kids" are simply too big to control. They can be as problematic as they choose. Not nice being in that position. Sorry it was only a one-day break.
ReplyDeleteThen I was only with them for one more day, so it wasn't too bad.
DeleteI agree with one of your commenters - both of these parties (the mother and the boy) need counseling. I think I am witnessing a mother burnt out over many years of trying to work with her son and other parties working with her son. Now, the hormones are raging and whatever control she had is gone. I can only hope there are good mental health services out there where you live, because they are lacking in many parts of the country. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what sorts of services he's receiving. They're all doing the best they can.
DeleteI don't think I'd pick up the phone if I was his mother either. Mother-trucker... lol.
ReplyDeleteAt a certain point, it would get old.
DeleteHmmm I'm betting she didn't mishear lol!
ReplyDeleteMe too.
DeleteI've seen parents who didn't parents, and years later there kids are functioning adults...Believe me I don't think I was overly strict but my kids had bounds...One was they went to school to learn and they better not act up. That it got me involved...Coffee is on
ReplyDeleteIt can go both ways, that's for sure.
DeleteOh, yes. I totally believe that "trucker" line. Clever try.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that excuse myself more than once.
DeleteText to mother about the missed bus and let him get on with the girl....Maybe text to girl's parents too? No stopping a hormonal teen.
ReplyDeleteAh, the girl's parents... Now, that's an idea.
DeleteI don't understand why, if he's close enough to walk home and he's doing it anyway, why his mom doesn't just let him? Then again, I see it from the mom's/school's perspective too: why doesn't he just ride the bus like he's being asked to? Is it really that big of a deal?
ReplyDeleteAnd why on Thursday did the administration just let him walk past them and allow him to miss his bus again? Was there nothing they could do to make him get on the bus?
At what point does the school tell the mom that they just can't handle her child? Is it enough that he is actually making an effort to be in school even if he refuses to ride the bus?
Why won't his mom just let him walk home? Good question. She can give permission. I have no idea why she wouldn't.
DeleteOn Thursday, the administrator probably got talking to someone else about something else when he went by (she's busy with all the students' misbehaviors). Considering how dismissal went that day, I can see how she missed him.
As for the school not being able to handle him--I don't think they're there yet. There is a point where students do get alternative placements, but all sorts of hoops need to be jumped through before it gets to that point.
One of my sisters has been teaching special ed for 32 years. I swear she is a saint but she loves her kids. These kids can be moved by mysterious impulses and inclinations. They get ideas in their heads from seemingly nowhere and they come and go.
ReplyDeleteThey'll probably all grow up to be writers. ;)
@Kathleen01930 Blog
"Mysterious impulses and inclinations..." Yeah. So true. Sometimes I have no idea where they come up with some of the stuff they do.
DeleteI certainly did some things in my youth that baffle me now. ~sigh~ May he find a healthy, productive path in life. Thanks for all you do to guide these kids.
ReplyDeleteThanks, but all I do is watch them while their teacher is away...
Delete