Friday 'flections: Atticus knows best.

My freshies had their To Kill a Mockingbird test today, so many of Atticus' wise words are still roaming around my mind.  Today I experienced something that caused me to pause and think of one of Atticus' most famous lines. 

Side-note:  Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird?  I'm sure you have.  You were probably between the ages of 14 and 16.  Let's pretend you haven't read it OR you didn't really read it in high school OR the only thing you've read with "Mockingbird" in the title is on SparkNotes OR you are on the hunt for a new read...  Pending you just pretended what I suggested, you should read this book.  Please.  If you can put down this book without having had a major revelation, you will need to check your pulse.  And I say that with every bit of kindness that I can.  Be prepared for the way you view people to be turned topsy-turvy.  Before I offend anyone (again?), let's move on...

Today I had a student who was checking his cell phone during the test.  He had already received his free warning earlier in the semester, so when I saw it happen this morning, I was like a dog on peanut butter (they like that stuff, right?  I know, I know, they're not supposed to eat it, right Dr. Laura?).  Let me cut to the chase.
I asked him for his phone.
He refused.
I gave him the option of handing over the phone or receiving a referral.
He stated that he wouldn't serve any time in detention and refused to give up his phone.
So I walked away and went to write the referral.
About a minute later, he brought his (totally untouched) test to my desk.
He went back to his seat and sat down.

By this point, I was FUMING.  Literally.  I feared that my non-existent pink eye would turn into raging flames shooting from my eye sockets.  I furiously scribbled on the referral notice and gave him a long, drawn-out stink eye.  He got out his phone again, I scared him with my eyes, and he put it away. 

The lunch bell rang, and my heart was pounding.  I told him to stay.  I reiterated everything I had said earlier and reminded him of his choices. 
He started to walk out.
I told him to stay.
He said, "You can't make me."  (I'll be honest.  I was slightly terrified at this point.)
I told him he had two choices (nice, huh Tammy?):  he could give me his phone and take the test after lunch or go to the office.  He chose neither.  I suggested that I could have security come pick him up...

Finally, he consented (I can be pretty scary.) and decided to go to the office.  Moving on...  I explained what happened to his administrator, and she went to visit with him.  (It is important to know that my little guy is an English language learner.)

The administrator came to me after having visited with the kiddo, and what she explained to me made me want to burst into tears out of compassion for the sweet guy. 
She said:
"Because it's his second phone violation, he thought you would take his phone and a parent would have to retrieve it.  He knows that either (a) a parent COULDN'T retrieve it or (b) a parent WOULDN'T retrieve it (a mix of the following:  inability to communicate, apathy, and low socioeconomic status).  He's willing to finish the test after lunch."

He returned after lunch, and I gave him the test.  I said, "Ready to take it?"  And what he said was so powerful that it still makes me pause.  He said, "Yes.  I'm ready.  And I'm so sorry for what happened earlier."  Naturally, I forgave him.  Of course I wanted to give him a huge hug, but that would be wildly inappropriate.  Instead, I watched him take his test all the while knowing that even though this kid struggles, he's going to make it.

Atticus encourages his kids to put on other people's skin and walk around in it in order to understand them.  I thought I did that, but apparently I didn't try hard enough. 

I love it when what I'm teaching teaches me a lesson.
But I love it even more when who I'm teaching teaches me a lesson.
I don't love my job every minute of every day, but today was a day I will always cherish as the day one of my kiddos who struggles through every part of school taught me a life lesson. 

I now order you to go to your local bookstore.