I haven't mentioned this to many people, but way back in October they made me the technology teacher for Kindergarten and 5th grade, in addition to my Curriculum Coach position. At the semester, it changed to Kindergarten and 2nd grade.
A couple weeks ago, however, my principal started having me shadow our Dean of Students.
Today, I got my first opportunity to play Dean all by myself. Our Dean of Students called me with about 20 minutes left to the school day and said she needed to go deal with some drama in middle school, but that she had a Kindergartener that really needed dealt with today. She told me since the offense was "sexual in nature" that I need to suspend him for one day. Here's how that went:
Knock, knock, knock.
“I need to see Jacob, please”
Jacob comes out into the hallway and we start walking.
“Your hair is crazy” he says.
“Your hair’s crazy!” I say, and he immediately runs his
hands through his hair. “No I’m just
kidding” I say.
I lead him into my office and tell him to sit down.
Some gold chocolate coins caught his eye instead. “What are these?” he asks. I respond with, “That’s candy for students
who are really good in the computer lab.
Do you remember last time you were in the computer lab?” He nods.
“Do you remember spitting on the floor?”
He shakes his head no. “Well that
behavior is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated again.”
“Your desk is really messy.
You need to organize it.”
“Jacob, I hear you misbehaved in the classroom today for
Ms. Daley. Is that true?”
“No.”
“Really? Because she
said you pulled down your pants and mooned the class. Do you remember that?”
“No.” His eyes are
wandering all around my office.
“Jacob, I need you to look at me. Ms. Daley said you pulled your pants down,
and since that’s not allowed, she told you to go into time out. Then you said “no” and started drawing all
over the desk. Do you remember that?”
“No.”
“Really? What did you
draw on the desk with?”
“A marker.”
“A marker?!” I say really dramatically.
“Yeah but it washes off.”
“Why did you do that Jacob?”
“Because I was mad I got put into time out.”
“Do you think if you didn’t pull your pants down, you would’ve
been put in time out?”
His eyes are wandering again.
“Jacob, I need you to look at me.” He still hasn’t sat down. He is standing at the front of my desk.
“Jacob, do you know what suspension means?”
“No.”
“That means your behavior was sooooooooo inappropriate that
you are not allowed to come to school tomorrow.”
“I’m going to come to school tomorrow” he says.
“No, you’re not. You’re
not allowed to come to school tomorrow. Because
you pulled down your pants, and then drew on the desk when Ms. Daley put you in
time out, you are not allowed to come to school tomorrow. So today is Thursday, you can’t come to
school on Friday. But you can come back
Monday.”
“I’m coming to school tomorrow.”
“No, you’re not allowed to.
Your behavior was so bad that you are not allowed to come to school
tomorrow. Ms. Robson will call your mom
later and tell her.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Well you can tell her too, but Ms. Robson is also going to
call and let her know.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Well you can tell her too, but Ms. Robson is also going to
call and let her know.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Well you can tell her too, but Ms. Robson is also going to
call and let her know.”
“So Jacob, Jacob look at me.” He is looking at me but not at my eyes. “Look into my eyes, Jacob,” I instruct, and
he does. “Why are you suspended
tomorrow?”
“What’s suspended?” he asks.
I go over it again.
“Because I pulled down my pants and then drew on the desk.”
“That’s right. And that
behavior will never happen again, right?”
“Right.”
It was so fun - I loved it!!!
