what a day...

Let me start off by saying that I knew mentioning how lucky I felt this year to not have gotten any new students since the very beginning of school was going to jinx me and I'd end up getting one before going on leave.

Yup, that happened.

I found out Friday that a new student would be joining my PM class as of today.

My PM class only had 17 kids and was smaller than both my AM class and the other AM class, so numbers wise it makes sense to place the new kiddo with me.

But considering I have less than two weeks left and the new student has already had to go through the ordeal of moving (and in her case it was under not so great circumstances), it seems like it would be better to not place her in the class where the teacher will be leaving soon after she begins.

Right?

Mrs. Bee just got a new student last week or the week before and I've told her, it's not like I wish it upon her to get another one so soon, but I truly (for the sake of the child) feel like placing a new student with me during my last two weeks before maternity leave is not the best decision.

Today, I felt justified in saying that.

My new student was escorted to my room by the secretary and had her mom and little brother with her. She seemed shy, but happy and was okay with me showing her where to put her backpack and coat. I showed her to her table and her seat and she was hesitant to sit down, but was fine while I was talking to her mom and trying to make sure I gave her all the info she might need in case I don't ever see her again...

As time went on, I wanted to just get class started so that our new little friend could see how we do things. The mom was trying to get out the door and I wanted her to go because I always think kids need to be left and not have their parents hanging around.

That's when it started.

The child did not want any part of her mom leaving and proceeded to start yelling when her mom walked out the door. She tried to go after her, but I did my best to coax her over to the carpet and tried to get her to sit down. I had put on the morning song so the other kids were sitting around the oval carpet ready for good morning greeting watching as I unsuccessfully tried to get our new friend to join.

At that point she basically started screaming....resisting me...pulling away from me etc. Did I mention screaming...at the top of her lungs?

It seemed like forever but I honestly think it only lasted about a minute or so before the other Kinder teacher came in and asked if I needed help. She sent in an IA that was in her room and the IA basically just removed the girl from my class because she would not stop screaming. She took her to an empty room down the hall and I guess the principal took over and was with her in there for quite some time while she continued to scream bloody murder.

The rest of my kiddos were sitting wide eyed and some were covering their ears so we talked a bit about how it's scary to be new and that hopefully she would calm down and join us.

Then we pretty much just went on with our day because we only have a three day week and I had lots of stuff to get done. We started our writing assessment and since the kiddos know they have to work without talking we were able to hear screams coming from down the hall even though the door to the other classroom was closed.

Eventually...after probably over an hour had gone by, the new student was brought back into my room...or I should say coaxed back into the room by our Literacy Specialist who had taken over trying to calm her down/get her back in the room. She was happy as a clam and proceeded to sit by the Literacy Specialist at the back table writing words and numbers on a big white board. After a bit the principal took over and she was still content sitting there, but never joined in with the rest of the group.

Now, as if I wasn't stressed enough by the physical struggle with her (my worst nightmare at 8.5 months pregnant!), having the principal in my room for like 45 minutes didn't really make me feel any calmer. There was just a lot of energy in the room and I was having flashbacks from last year when she was on me about classroom management and therefore worrying if she would think the kids were too noisy or off task.

At one point I looked at the clock and almost had a heart attack because it looked as though there was still over an hour and a half left in the school day, but really the clock just had not been adjusted since we sprung ahead. I was sitting there thinking what am I going to do for the rest of the day? I thought I had everything all planned out but there is SO MUCH time left. Then I realized that it really was 1:35 instead of 12:35 and that the next two activities would get us to bus time.

Once she came back in after her screaming fit this child was fine, but it still made for a very stressful day. My plans to remain entirely calm while Mr. Sneaker is away were abruptly foiled with the onset of the screaming fit. I have been willing myself not to go into labor while he is away and being stressed was not on my agenda. At least I have the Bachelor to look forward to tonight.

I won't be in the classroom tomorrow because our Kinder team has a training so I really hope things go smoothly with the sub and my new friend has a better day. I cannot handle it if my last six days with my PM are corrupted by screaming. I wanted to go out enjoying my kiddos and orienting a new student was not really something I planned on having to do in my last two weeks.

Oh well...next time I will bite my tongue before saying that I haven't gotten any new students in awhile!