A Long Time Ago

It's been almost 18 years since I stood in front of my first class of students, and in those 18 years I don't think I've worked with a more challenging group than I did that first year. It would be easy to say that the challenges were due to my own inexperience, and although I agree that may have been a part of it, I also think that they would have been a tough class for any teacher no matter what his or her experience level was.

Sarah was the girl that had been picked on throughout her elementary school years. By fifth grade it had become so bad that her mother decided to enroll her in private school.

Jason was the boy who seemed determined to challenge me everyday. In a moment of exasperation I sent him into the hallway for a time-out. The punishment did not deter his behavior; he mooned the class.

Tommy was a tough one as well. I can't recall any specific behavior, only that he always seemed to be in trouble. He was the first, and last, elementary school student I knew who was given an out of school suspension. He was a good friend of Jason and the two of them kept me on my toes the entire year.

Tommy came by to see me the next year. He had moved to DC and stopped in to say hi when he was in the neighborhood. He apologized for being so bad. A year later it was hard to recall the specifics of his poor behavior. I never saw him after that and often wonder what became of that fiery redhead.