teaching today amongst the rage

Cucumber plants under protective cover

I had two students run from my classroom today and this time I had nothing to do with it. #1 fled when sprayed in the face by a water bottle, which I am guessing was accidental fire but I can't say with 100% certainty. It was her way of dealing with rage... stay and attack or run outside. #2 fled when the student he had fought with earlier in the day showed up for class. "I can't be in the same room." Again it was a coping strategy for rage. At this point I said, "I don't care how wet it is outside, the rain has stopped for a moment. Lets get cucumbers."

Earlier in the day, rage had led to a fight between a couple, one of whom had fled from my room a couple weeks ago when she felt that I had ignored her. She had refused to come back for a couple of days. I got a call from her therapist saying that this student had asked if she could spend more time than normal in my class today because I had a calming classroom.

Later in the day the student I blogged about on Saturday showed up in my class. I said, "cool shirt." Not because my ego is huge and I say it every time I see someone wearing the shirt I had designed for a school fund raiser. No, it was because I saw it as a sign of forgiveness. Surely a student angered at me would burn the shirt not wear it.

This is my life these days. Watching fires erupt and watching them burn out, while hoping to see life come out of the ashes.