Did You Have a Tough Day?

I had a run-in with a student today when I asked some students to move up their seats (there were empty seats and I don't like students to sit at the back).

Unhappy at having to move, my kid (or the lingo used here are 'onions'-insider kind of thing), slammed the table and toppled the chair as he moved to another table. Here I was, looking at a confrontation early in the morning, whereas, I would say this should be a more of an afternoon event.

So I stood, quietly, as the rest of the class who were also standing to greet me, waited to see what happened. I quietly announced to the class that we were waiting for my onion to put back the table and chair as it were, before continuing with anything else.

My onion was upset and stared at me, not wanting to budge. The other onions at first waited, until they could not wait anymore (they wanted to sit down). Some taunted my onion, some encouraged, some placed back the table and chair and still....I waited. Still, I wanted him to make the effort even though the table and chair were now in place.

I would say that the whole thing took about 15 mins before my onion, so angry that he had evidence of tears in his eyes, went back to that table and chair and attempted to arrange them.

We then continued with the greeting and the lesson.

And you know how I felt the whole time after that? I was very concerned about the onion with the tears in his eyes. I wondered about how angry he must have felt and sympathised with him. Although I am sure I sent a message to the other onions about what is acceptable in my class, at the same time, I wanted to run to him to see that he was okay. To tell him that there was no malice intended even though such behaviour is not tolerated.

I am still learning along the way. But sometimes, there are no answers as to what to do.. Just more questions..

Editor's note: I took the onion out of his last class just now to see if he was ok and to apologise if I had made him feel embarassed in front of his friends.I think he really appreciated it and will be behaving better now.