What a Day

I only sub in a few schools.  Over the last 5 years, I have developed wonderful relationships with the staff and students in these schools.  I love all of the kids that I work with, but I love the friends in Special Education the most.  Those little people just touch my heart and make me strive to be a better person.

I have one little friend in particular that challenges me.  I've known this little guy for 4 years now.  Not once in 4 years has he ever spoken to me.  Not once has he ever looked me in the eyes.  For 4 years, he has ignored me, pulled his hood over his head, and sat in a stony silence until our time is over. 

I have done everything I can think of to break through his shell and establish a relationship with him.  I've brought in pictures of my kids and my cats.  I've made stupid jokes.  I've brought in stuffed animals, my favorite books, and even some of those little nano-bugs.  All in the hope that he might interact with me in some way. 

I've never given up on him- because you can tell he's a smart young man.  Very smart.  And I really want to know what's going on in that head of his.

Last week.  I had the most frustrating day, ever. 

I was subbing in Special Ed, and during the morning, I pushed in to 3 different classes.

I arrive in the first class and sit down at the table with my first little group.  Five minutes into the group, one of the kids suddenly looks really pale, we smell a horrible smell, and the kid starts to cry and everyone goes "eewww".  Diarrhea.  All over everything.

I took that child down to the nurse.  The teacher took the class out for a walk down the halls, and the custodian worked his magic.

I doused myself in as much Purell as I possibly could, and headed off to my next group.

Different class, same routine.  I sit down to work with one of the groups.  One of the children turns really pale, turns the head, and "eeewwwww".  The poor child threw up all over the floor.  I ran the child down to the nurse, and the teacher pulled the rest of the class out for a walk down the halls while the custodian worked his magic.

I doused myself again in Purell. 

Different class, different grade, same routine. I sat down to work with one of the groups.  One of the children turns really pale, turns the head and "eewww...."

The custodian crossed my path as I was walking down the hall towards the nurses office with the third child when he remarked "Just what is it about you today?"

The nurse looked me over as I walked into her office and said "What is it with you today?"

I jokingly asked if it would do any good to bother washing up with Purell.  She handed me her heavy duty soap that she uses to wash her hands, and I washed my hands, arms, and face. 

My day didn't get a lot better from there, no more sick children, but it was a trying day.  The kids were having a rough day all the way around.

And then, it was 3:00.

I went to go pull my little person.  MY little person.  The one I mentioned earlier, who I've known for 4 years now and has never spoken to me.

He looked me straight in the eye when I walked in, told me "Hello" and called my by my name.  I had no idea he even knew my name.

He talked to me.  He read to me.  He looked me in the eye and he smiled at me.  He answered me in complete sentences.  That hood never once went up over his head.

When our time was up, I walked him back to class, and he told me all about the playoff games this weekend, and why he was cheering for the Broncos.

I dropped him off in his class, closed the door, and burst into tears.

After 4 years, this child finally trusts me enough to let me into his world and talk to him. 

I am so humbled.

And that, my friends, made last week an EXCELLENT week.