It Only Takes One Random Act of Kindness

This morning was the worst morning in a long time. I have this parent that thinks I am not doing enough for her sixth grader who was placed in Pre-Algebra by her elementary teacher. I tried to explain that she just isn't ready to for these concepts, but her mother insisted that she should try it. For three quarters she was barely surviving. I tried to prepare her mother for fourth quarter; this is the down fall of all pre-al students, rational numbers in equations. She couldn't send her to tutoring in the morning either of the two mornings I tutor or after school on Wednesdays plus she didn't like that I tutor others, not just her daughter

Two weeks ago this student was sick for three days but was well enough to go to San Diego with the band on Friday. Heavens to Betsy that I should expect her to get her work done for the time she missed. I let the mom know but as of Monday still hadn't received the work. I have stopped answering my phone because she has been calling and leaving messages and when I return her call she freaks out on me.

Well today, the phone rang at 6:30 in the morning in my room so thinking it was Tina letting me know she was shopping for our Coyote Howl and was going to be late, I answered it. I got sick to my stomach when I heard her voice and she started out very nice. I waited for her to get to the point of her calling, and she asked if her daughter had turned in her work to me. I told her no and daughter told her she did. I told her she didn't and then daughter said I was too busy to take it because we worked right up to bell, another lie. This made mom mad but not at her daughter but at me. I told her I would accept it but she wouldn't not get full credit. I told her I gave her another few days after it was due because she had been sick and then gone. Mom started yelling at me and told me I was a "hard ass" and that one of the other teachers allowed her to do my work first because she knew I was a hard ass. At that point I ended the conversation by telling her she needed to talk to my principal and that this conversation was over.

She called back twice but I didn't answer the phone. Tina came in and knew that this woman had called again so she waited just in case she called another time. I called the Dean and she was livid because she has been dealing with the calls I don't answer from her.

It is now in the principal's hands, and I am not allowed to take calls from her. He has instructed her not to call me and if she does then action will be taken. She has been abusive to me and the dean.

I hate to start my mornings this way. While I was on the phone with the dean a young lady came in with the biggest smile on her face. She left a present and mouthed to me to read the note first. I knew it was a joke gift by the look on her face. Little did she know that I needed to laugh that morning. You see her note was precious and her note said, "Everytime you feel blue open the box and take out the huge black clip and pinch myself and think of her." You see she had this big black clip and clipped her pinky and yelled. She said that she didn't think it would hurt. We had a good laugh at her expense that day. Well today I laugh because it was what I needed to put everything into perspective. Young ladies like her are the reason I teach. No matter what crummy parents do to upset me there will always be some student that makes my day better.

I don't think I can ever look at a clip again without thinking of her and what a big smile I will have on my face when I peek in the box. I think I am going to wear that big clip on my shirt tomorrow or use it to clip the papers together so I can see it every hour.

So now that I have vented and knowing that my school friends want to rip her tongue out of her throat I can move on.

Soon it will be the end of the year and I will be with my grandboys. How I look forward to this.

Dear Lord give me the strength that I will need for the next couple of weeks to treat each student with kindness and respect even though some of them have lousy parents. Dear Lord they have to live with each other so I thank you for allowing me to have the family that I have. I am glad I don't have to come home to either one of them. I do feel sorry for the young girl and hope she doesn't become a bully like her mother. Please pray for her!