The M Saga Part 2

Today I had my second tutoring session with M. Aware of her behavioral issues, the Reading Partners coordinator gave me the option of switching students, but I wasn't about to give up on M. Maybe I just saw her at her worst the first go-round. Maybe I'd get through to her and we would have a glorious semester of reading together. Or maybe I'd get stabbed by an eight-year-old.

This time I had to go retrieve her from her classroom. Before I even reached the room, I found her in the hall, about to beat the crap out of a little boy named Victor. As I was holding her arms back so she couldn't launch a full-blown attack, I paused to reflect on what another amazing tutoring experience I was having.

Finally I get M to walk away, but not before she warns Victor that she is "going to beat him up tomorrow at recess." I try to distract her with how fun reading is!

I'm good at this.

If you're curious as to what Victor did to ruffle M's feathers, apparently he "got into her business when he had no business getting into her business." Hey, that would drive anyone to violence, am I right? No one can blame her.

We get to the reading classroom. M is still angry over Victor and will. not. let. it. go.

Me: Pick a letter of the alphabet. 

M: V. 

Me: Great. Now I want you to write a word that starts with the letter V. 

M: Okay. 

She takes the marker board and holds it so that I can't see what she's writing. 

Me: If you're writing "Victor," you're not getting a star today. 

M: I'm not writing "Victor." 

Me: Okay, let's see your word. 

She turns the board around. She has written "Victor." 

Me: Really?

So after 1/4 of a lesson, one time-out, three pictures of dead Victor, and no gold star for the day, I say my goodbyes to M, walk outside and proceed to bash my head against the wall.

This better count as "an act of humanitarianism that permanently and positively enriches the life of a child." Stay tuned for next week's M adventure!