"Don't Bother With That One!?!?!!"

Note:  This was NOT said to me by a cooperating teacher.
           However, the words were said.


Did I really just hear those words?  "Don't pay attention to that one."  "We've worked with him for a long time."  (Since September, is that really a long time?)

"I saw you trying to reach him....it's not worth the effort."

I tried not to react.

As this conversation went on, I mentioned that I had worked with this student after school last week in study hall.  Did I push him to complete the missing work that had sent him to study hall?  I did.  One piece at a time.  Next I was asked, "Was he defiant with you?"  No, he wasn't.  "Well, that is good."

Hmmmm.

I had heard this particular student was defiant.   I prefer to come to my own conclusions.

Next, I was told, "He thinks there isn't any value in any of the school work."  To that I asked, "What has value to him?"  There was no answer to this, only a theory.  Interesting, I don't think anyone has asked him that.

Lucky for me, the bell rang and we went to lunch.  Phew.

I ran into this student walking across the cafeteria.  I said hello and called him by name.  He said hello back.

As we returned to class after lunch, the "defiant" student grabbed me and said, "Will you help me?"  I smiled.  I said, "Of Course!!!"  (To myself...I will bother with you!)