That One Kid

I have a class. They are mostly a bunch of good guys. Some of them are extroverts.  Some of them are shy and quiet.  Some are talented.  Some are lumps of meat. I have a class and it is like any other, taught by any other teacher in any other school.  

And I have this one kid.  Let's call him Dick.  Dick refuses to recognize the classroom dynamic. Dick has no teacher and no classmates, no TA and no principal. He has a desk and a chair. He has a book and whatever is in his bookbag. I have learned to assume it is almost never his pencil. 

Dick is all at once imprisoned and utterly free. He hates being in his chair and hates being in his classroom. He shows this by wriggling out of his chair and hiding under the table. He hates following lesson. He is at pains to being diametrically opposed to the lesson plan.  When the class chants he silently hits the desk with his book.  When the class is listening to a student perform their work, he sings maniacal nonsense songs, using his book as a megaphone. When I ask him to be quiet he is louder.  When I try to elicit a response from him he is silent as a rock. 

So, yeah, this one student I have, Dick? He is disruptive.  He hits other students and talks to others. He takes up a lot of my time and the TA's time,  time that should be spread equally amongst the class as a whole.  He stops other students hearing instruction and he slows the rhythm of the class.  

I have this kid.  He's responsible for making me think of newer and more exciting programs.  He pushes me to create more immersive, more approachable lessons.  He keeps me on my guard constantly, my time keeping and peripheral vision skills pushed to their utmost. I am exhausted after lessons with him.  And I know I have to do it all again tomorrow with him. 

I have this one kid called Dick.  When I get that kid into my lesson, even if it is for one minute , one sentence, one moment .... and I mean in that lesson, utterly engaged, yep, it's worth it. I feel strong and alive, successful and validated.  This kid did that to me. 

I have this one kid.  Lets call him Dick.  He's awesome.