3.24.11

I didn't intend to go ape shit on my 6th graders today. 


And yet, I did, and I felt marvelous at the end.


We have a wiry little 6th grader who is picked on constantly. I will say that he says very random attention-getting things that make him an easy target for 11-year-old boys. But it doesn't mean his randomness is an open invitation for bullying. 


As I monitored the hall between bells, I heard an enormous eruption of laughter in my room. I walked in to see the little guy pretty much cowering with his lower lip out. 


It lit a fuse. 


Probably because I imagined it being Will. It's hard to not do that sometimes. 


I went off. For about 30 seconds. It was mostly about bullying. And how I do NOT tolerate it. And any future items said to my little wiry friend will be prosecuted. Oh yes. I said "prosecuted." 


Then, one of the boys had the nerve to say, "I di-int say nuthin!"


And the fuse that was lit? Exploded. 


Here's what I said.


"I-don't-care-WHAT-you-did-or-didn't-say-if-you-LAUGHED-then-you-are-just-as-guilty-as-the-one-who-opened-their-mouth-do-you-understand-me-and-you-BETTER-say-yes-ma'am."


There was a silence--the kind that only comes from a room full of students who just had their butts handed to them. 


A few minutes passed as I did routine things. 


Out of the silence came a voice, genuine and with what I can only describe as good intention. 


"I'm sorry." 


It was the bully. 


My wiry friend nodded his head. 


I went on with class--it was Russian food day so I was passing out blinis and beef stroganov. The kids were watching the last bit of "Anastasia" after our gruesome True Story of the Romanovs talk. 


The bell rang. 


I went back to my desk. 


This was on it.

My wiry friend signed his name. 


Today, I was successful in getting a bully to think--for however brief--about what he had done. 


And I made a kid who no one ever stands up for, feel like someone cared. 


Thank the sweet powers that be that tomorrow brings Spring Break!