To KM By Jess

1.) Nope, that is not the reason we have such small classes. We are a very rural town, and most grades only have 5 kids in them....69 kiddos K-12.

2.) I have no doubt that homelife is a factor. He is required be very grown-up at home, helping to take care of three younger siblings (one only a few months old), plus a lot of chores. I agree with his last year's teacher in say that he doesn't have much time to be a kid. I try to make everything we do in here to be fun whenever possible. He is about the only kid who has any homework, because I give so much in-class time for them to their assignments (I want to see in class how they are doing, what they are struggling with, & exactly what they need help on). He wouldn't have homework either if he worked during this time. It takes him so long to get ready and I have tried many different things to get him to get to work faster, such as "if you can get your work out, your penciled sharpened, and get a drink and be in your seat in under five minutes I will give you (some kind of reward he likes). Never works. It takes him on average 15 minutes to get to work, by then nearly everyone else is finished, even my "slower" kids. I know things are not the best for him at home, but how do I teach him that no one in life has it every easy, that I do empathize with him which is why I give up a lot of time to teach for them to work in class because I know he carries a full load at home, and that I want him to responsible for his learning to an extent all at the same time? There is no mistaking how bright this kid is: SUPER BRIGHT! He can do the work, and when he does, he does it beautifully!

3.) Basically, I just ignore the behavior, and deal with it only when it becomes a massive disruption, because its worse if I do it right away. The other kids are understanding, but I feel like I am cheating them. Our superintendent doesn't have any real answer, save for him to see a counselor, but before I came here, something happened where that kid throws such a horrid fit about seeing counselors. (Apparently, he told the counselor something in confidence and the counselor went and told the superintendent (we have no prinicpal here) and he got in some pretty serious trouble for what he had done. So now, my student is very distrustful of any couselor. I know he needs help with a counselor, but when mom says no, he doesn't have to see one, what else can I do?

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out with this problem. He did come to school with a rough draft written, and I make a huge deal out of, telling him how proud I was, how wonderful what he wrote was, what a great kid he was, and so on. Somesdays are really good with him...others make me want to pull out my hair!