Please help, I may have screwed up...

[seeker]

I dont know if I posted this, but I finally got a teaching job, 8th grade English/Reading. I have a rather troubled student who appears to have a problem with authority and some anger management difficulties. I have been trying to work with him, though a couple of other teachers commented that if I could get him thrown out they would throw me a party. But I dont believe in that, I think it is our job to help these kids. On Friday, he came in late, sat down and started to cry. The other students ran to him, and chaos insued. I got them back to their seats, and tried to find out what was wrong. But he just said something about a referral and wanting to call home. My focus was on calming him down and restoring order to the class. I offered to let him use my cell phone, but he already had one. He made his call and rejoined the class, but later was called again to the office. They suspended him for five days and sent me an email asking if I knew whose cell phone it was as they are not allowed in school. I explained that I did not know that, I thought they just couldnt use them in class, but I had not seen who gave him the phone in all the chaos. I read and answered the message quickly as I was still in the middle of class, and when I looked at again later, upon receiving a message from her to come to her office Monday at my convenience, I realized he apparently told her he called from the bathroom, not my class. This of course is not true. I dont know the student well enough to know if he was covering for me or giving himself something to hold over me later. Of course, Id like to think I have reached him, and he was trying to help me, but I dont want to be naive. I asked Yi what to do about this discrepancy, should I let her know what really happened or just let sleeping dogs lie? 25 unchanging. I usually see this hex as being the unexpected or proceeding without expectation. It would seem to say proceed as the situation calls for, but Im not sure how that answers the question. What do you guys think???

 

[jte]

MHO, for 25, just do the *right* thing as you see it.

- Jeff

 

[hilary]

Also, not trying to fix anything that is really beyond your power (or responsibility) to fix. (I think.)

 

[micheline]

don't get embroiled in it, as karcher/ritsema says. it was an innocent mistake on your part, thinking he was allowed to make a call. YOu can simply say "I didn't know he wasnt supposed to use a phone. sorry, it will never happen again."

 

[micheline]

congratulations on the new job btw!

 

[void]

Anyway if its anything like this country they can't get teachers, especially for 'troubled' kids for love nor money, so they will hang on to you for all their worth I should think.

 

[femke]

Hi Seeker

Congratulations. I notice you got 25 in both this case and to the other question you posted. That feels significant! I agree with the posts above. No need to worry, as long as you stick to what you feel is right. And fortune in telling the truth as you see it. I would feel encouraged to get this hex. in this situation, in both situations actually.
Good luck, Femke

 

[femke]

Hi Seeker

Congratulations. I notice you got 25 in both this case and to the other question you posted. That feels significant! I agree with the posts above. No need to worry, as long as you stick to what you feel is right. And fortune in telling the truth as you see it. I would feel encouraged if I got this hex. in this situation, in both situations actually.
Good luck, Femke

 

[jte]

Seek, hope you're paying attention to what Bruce is writing in that other thread about when "doing the right thing" goes bad. One does have to be careful about how/how much one gives, we've all got limits.

- Jeff