Friday, September 20, 2019

Art Class Drama


I was asked to cover an extra period after lunch. Middle school art. Insert groan here.

I ate my lunch in the classroom I was covering for the day. Then at the bell, I called to get security to unlock the door for me. (I've found that if I call before I leave my "home base", I don't have to wait as long for security to show up.)

When I got to the art room, the door was open. Security had arrived before me, and she had let the kiddos in the room already. I walked in, looking for the day's lesson plans.

That's when I spied Victoria. She's been on security at that school for years. She was hovering over a student, asking the crying girl if she wanted to go to the health office. The girl said she was fine.

After class got started, Jaci explained that the reason she was limping was because a boy had hit her leg at lunch. She had had surgery on her ACL not too long ago, and she wasn't fully healed. (She said it'd take a year to get fully healed with the implication that she was taking a year off her sport for this.)

Jaci bent and moved and figured no major damage had occurred. I told her she should report this boy. She said she wasn't going to get him into trouble. Apparently, he's been in enough trouble. My point was that since he deliberately injured her, he should suffer the consequences. She didn't agree.

If she doesn't report him, he's never going to learn. Sigh.

Jaci and the rest of the class got to work. They were creating "graffiti" versions of their names. They did the usual sort of stuff that middle schoolers do. I kept an eye on them. I didn't have to intervene too much, which meant things were going pretty well.

But then Kristen walked up to me. She was shaking, and she said that she needed to step outside. I do stop to question students when they make those sorts of requests unless it's obvious what's wrong. I waved her on.

I went to the group she was sitting with. What did they do? I had been watching them...

Jaci said Kristen was having a panic attack. Kristen sent her a text. And the group said they hadn't done anything.

It's possible I missed something subtle. But I'll believe the group unless Kristen says otherwise.

A short time later, Victoria came in to retrieve Kristen's stuff. I assume she went home.

All sorts of drama always in the middle school classes. At least it keeps it interesting.

25 comments:

  1. I believe they bullied her and did it through texts etc.. If she was shaking so, she was scared, the poor thing. Often bullies can be subtle and that she was hit by that S.O.B. plus didn't want to rock the boat by informing on him means they threatened her. I am sorry but that brings to mind the crap I went through. they told me they would slice my throat if I said anything. Now with Social media etc...there is a lot more ways to bully.

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    1. It wasn't Jaci. Jaci was fine. Kristen had the anxiety issue from what I have no idea. Could have been a text.

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  2. It makes me sad that so many young people suffer depression and anxiety. That art project sounds interesting, on the other hand. Be well!

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  3. Middle school drama...bless you for being able to handle it. I had more than my fill when my daughters were in middle school.

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    1. They have a way of taking nothing issues and turning them into major dramas.

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  4. Unfortunately, if Jaci reports him, she's going to suffer consequences, too. And panic attacks can be brought on by nothing sometimes. A stressful day can just make it happen.

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  5. Poor girl. I hope she has expressed this to a loved one. Bullies can destroy lives.

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  6. Too bad you couldn't convince Jaci to report the kid. But I understand why she might have been afraid to do so.

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  7. Never took art and wish I did.
    Coffee is on

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  8. These kids are so fragile and yet try to cover up so much. In the case of Kristen, when panic attacks (literally) its hard to cover it up. Its a wonder anyone survives middle school and high school these days.

    betty

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  9. Goodness, the middle school kids can be such a challenge ...
    I can understand why Jaci didn't want to report the boy.
    Panic attacks ... Now with a lot of texting and social media, life has become so complicated for these children. I really wonder how cope.

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    1. We just have to wait for the memoirs in about 20 years.

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  10. Life seemed to be easier when I went to school. There never seemed to be this much drama. Kids rarely had things like panic attacks. Life sure has changed and so much I see it is not for the better.

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  11. I think panic attacks weren't a thing when I was in middle school.

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    1. It may have been just hidden better. That, and it is on the rise.

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  12. Poor Jaci. And yep, that kid will keep on being a jerk unless he's held accountable in some way.

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  13. Is there a protocol for letting a student go into the hallway by themselves when they're obviously upset? Nothing like that ever happened during my school years, so hard to understand and relate. I do think all phones should be locked up for the duration of the day and not permitted in any classroom and collected after the final bell.

    I think I would find it bothersome not to know what really happened to her and if she was ok?

    How sad the one who was injured didn't get support when it happened from anyone.

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    1. If a student asks to step outside, I let them. Generally. (Unless I can't see a good reason why they would.)

      (We have no halls. All classrooms open to the outdoors.)

      She had support. Victoria asked her if she wanted to go to the health office. If she had told Victoria what happened, Victoria would have probably taken her to the office. She chose not to report the incident. Which I think is a mistake, but I can't make her make the report (and I don't know the name of the boy--she wouldn't tell me).

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  14. That is a lot of drama for just one class!!! That boy sounds awful, and it doesn't sound like any good will come out of Jaci not reporting him. Hopefully you won't have the class again for a while!

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  15. I feel bad for her. I would never go back to middle school. Tough years...

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