What Year Is This?

On the first day back at school after the Christmas holiday, I sent home progress reports. Naturally, with progress reports come parent-teacher interviews. I put up a sign-up sheet with times and dates that I was available. Luckily for me, only a select few parents signed up. During one of the interviews, however, I heard something that made my jaw drop.

Janko's mom (the one that looks exactly like Victoria Beckham) came in on Monday, dreading the news I had to give her. Her son is a barrel full of energy and practically never stops moving. He is also incredibly intelligent - he can read and write and his math skills are distinctly above par - and seems to like me, so he listens relatively well and gets all of his work done whether it is something he enjoys or something he hates. She was relieved to hear this and by the halfway point of the interview she was beaming (partially from hearing her kid's a genius and partially from not having to hear that he was a disaster to teach). While we were discussing Janko's tendency to bounce off walls when he's in a good mood, our conversation went something like this:

Vicky B.: "I'm so happy you are good with dealing with kids like Janko."

Steph (not wanting to say "Oh, well, I have a soft spot for the bad ones!": Smiles and nods and makes non-committal noises of agreement.

Vicky B.: "Really, when he was with the teacher who was here before you, 3-4 times a day he would have to go stand facing the wall for 15 minutes at a time."

Steph (jaw dropping): "Wow... (grasping for words, because I'm in shock) Well, I prefer to encourage them to behave with a reward system."

**Awkward Silence**

Vicky B.: "Yes... I think it's better."

WHAT THE HELL!?!?!?! I was so shocked by the revelation that people still do this that I dreamed about it last night. I mean, seriously, what year is it? I understand that she was an older teacher, but damn... I didn't think anyone thought that would still work. Go stand facing the wall for 15 minutes? The kid has major hyperactivity issues... how is standing still for extended periods of time doing nothing going to help him????

I don't even have the words to express my complete and total shock. Although I have told everyone who will listen this story already, I felt I needed to write it here so that maybe the dreams will stop!

Hope you enjoyed the story... and that you were as shocked and appalled as I was.

The next post will be happier, I promise!

Steph :)