(Names and details have been changed for confidentiality.)
b b &and was recently examined for ADHD.b
I lean back at my desk withB relief and close the e-mail. I wonder if she got prescribed anything. Maybe that will calm her down.
Thatb s the problem with students like Nancyb they really challenge your teaching philosophy.
On the one side, I want all of my students to succeed and learn Algebra in my class. On the other hand, I would secretly love for a test to render Nancy a b Special-Edb label, so she could have an aide to supervise her, or (even easier) get her out of my class. About 92% of me wants her to succeed in my class with no help.
But that 8% of meb & oh, I hope for a release from her yelling, leaving her desk, poking other students, standing next to me during a lesson with her hand up, and other impulsive middle-schooler behaviors. But that 8% is present in every one of my sighs, every exasperated response, and every time I rub my temples as she asks, b Mr. Vaudrey, am I annoying?b
Yes, Nancy. Yes.
You annoy me and every other student in the class when you call out to them across the room during a test, when you ask questions to people who arenb t even looking at you, and especially when you monitor whob s next for the bathroom pass. Youb re annoying when you proclaim that youb ll buy students expensive birthday gifts, but never follow through.
Itb s annoying, even though Ib m pretty sure your mom is unemployed, and your promise to buy Brandon an iPad is all pomp to mask the shame.
Nancyb s mom is baffled at how to control her. There are rumors that she has Nancy stand in the corner for hours at a time just so she can have some peace. The staff at school isnb t sure where Dad is, but we know that the family doesnb t have much money. Nancy waited weeks to get glasses and didnb t bring any of the four items she promised for the class party.
So itb s Thursday before Winter Break. Nancy comes to my class before school starts.
b Good morning, Nancy. Youb re about 5 hours early to class.b
She smiles, shuffles her feet and avoids eye contact. b Umb & Mr. Vaudrey? Likeb & my mom works at Nordstromb s andb & umb & I didnb t know what to get youb & sob & umb & like, web & uh. We got you this.b She holds out a small, unassuming gift bag with a bent tag and a card. To: Mr. Vaudrey. From: Nancy.
b Thank you, Nancy! This is the first gift Ib ve gotten this year. Thank you very much.b I shake her hand and hold the gift still, hoping to signal to her that itb s polite to leave after you give a gift. She gets the hint and clumps off to first period in her too-big shoes.
Back behind my desk, I open the card first, like the good boy my mother raised. The card, written in Nancyb s pointed scrawl says, b Mr. Vaudrey thank you very much for help me in my work and helping me be a good person inclass.b
I peel back the tissue paper. Inside the bag are cologne samples from Nordstromb s.
From a low-income family who wanted to give a gift to their daughterb s teacher.