The Fairy Tale Ended Today...

...I got a new student yesterday. And, my perfect classroom came to an abrupt halt! What a difference one child can make...sad, but true!

Quite honestly, today was a day from hell!! I felt like I was back at my old school...oh wait, this student transferred from my old school!

He started out just off task during group work. No biggie...then apparently he decided to talk to the girls in his group about lap dances...hmmm...pretty SURE this was WAY off topic! So, he received a check (my discipline chart is a series of checks). Well - this is when the hell started. He started with the back talking and mumbling under his breath...this gets under my skin worse than anything!! So...a trip to the hallway to try and talk to him about his behavior and explain the expectations at his new school - he had ZERO interest! DEFIANT!!! If said - look at me - he looked at the ceiling - if I asked a question, he refused to answer. Well - it reached a point where I made the phone call home. While I was making the call, he comes over to my desk, says "who are you calling?" AND REACHES OVER ME TO DISCONNECT THE PHONE!!! YEP - HE HUNG UP THE PHONE SO I COULDN'T CALL HIS MOM! Ok...by this point, my nerves are fried & I am tired of being nice - but really folks - what can we do? As teachers, we really have NOTHING we can do & kids like this - well, they know that! So, I called his Mom and left a message. He proceeded to just wander around the room basically ignoring any and all directions I gave him and look to get in trouble. The kids came unglued when he messed with their beloved chess game! And, this is how defiant he was - I asked him to please leave the game alone and not touch it b/c his classmates had a game going & to respect his classmates. He looked at me and slowly and deliberately touched one of the pieces and kept his finger on it. Basically like I dare you to do anything. URGH!!!!! Well, when he went behind my desk and picked up the camera and started shuffling the papers around, I said, forget it! I lined my class up to take him to the office - thinking all the while - how am I going to get him there? And, like an angel appearing out of no where - the principal was coming down the hall!! Yay! And this principal...she doesn't play around! She took him into the hallway and ALL the 3rd graders could hear what was going on...he was pretty defiant with her too and that doesn't bode well with her! (or me) In the end, he had counseling today, and she let him know since it was his second day of school, she was only calling home this time, but if it ever happened again, he was suspended.

I called him Mom after school...I hope she isn't one of those parents that sounds supportive but really doesn't do anything. She sounded like she was really upset about it and going to take care of it. I hope so. She said I could expect an apology tomorrow....

...tomorrow IS new day AND it's Friday AND it's scrapbook night...so I'll let this go now that I've vented. I just pray that my awesome year isn't over so soon!