I Get Knocked Down...

Adventures from my Kindergarten classroom continue.

As I head into week six of school, it has become increasingly obvious that I should point out something very big that I've been pushing under the rug for a while about my classroom.

Throughout these past five weeks I have had to wrestle with many changes, but the biggest thing I have had to wrestle with is a five-year-old boy I will call lovingly, AC (or "Anti-Christ"). He is a terror. I have dealt with mean or "bad" kids before but he takes the cake. He has made me realize that not all children are deep down, great kids...some of them are just rotten deep down, no matter how far down you dig.

Let me enlighten you...AC is smart...he is very clever and reads at level. BUT he has major behavioral issues. I first saw this when he climbed on our tables and counters day one of school and thought it was funny to leave the classroom whenever he liked. This behavior has since escalated into leaving the classroom at least six times a day, throwing objects, screaming, making noises, throwing chairs, climbing on tables, bookshelves and chairs, playing with scissors, slamming doors repeatedly and my favorite, hitting/punching/kicking teachers.

I have had to put AC in a bear hug hold at least twice a day (something I am not trained to do) and have come home with multiple bruises, scraps and scratches. But Friday took the cake...Friday, he showed his truest colors and it's fair to say that I really dislike this boy.

On Friday morning, he came in as he usually does, sweet as pie, smiling and saying, "good morning, Ms. Katie." And then around 9:30am (every day its around the same time) he got up and started playing around on our bean bag chairs. At break, he sat on two of our girls on purpose and after I told him that he wasn't being safe with his body on the carpet during shared reading, he ran to the scissors bin. As he wrestled through the scissors bin, I pulled his hand out and put the bin out of his reach. He then rammed his head into my stomach and grunted loudly at me in anger.

I squatted down to his level and asked him to use his words because I couldn't help him if he couldn't use his words and he yelled, "get away from me."

I said, "OK. But we need to be safe with our bodies, OK? When you're ready, I'd love a partner on the carpet."

He screamed, "no! I don't want to." Then he proceeded to look me dead in the eyes, pull back his head and ram it into my nose. Yes, boys and girls, I was head-butted by a five-year-old; something I never thought would happen to me.

As my eyes welled up, I grabbed his arm and took him straight to the office so the Special Ed. Coordinator could take him off my hands while I iced my nose.

This is my life. This is around 65% of what I do 40 hours a week. I told my roommate that I feel like I am caught in an abusive relationship because he beats me up, does whatever he wants to me and I keep smiling and coming back to him the next day as if nothing happened.

He has been kicked out of almost every school he's been at because of this behavior. I am too stubborn to let him get kicked out BUT at what point do we start drawing the line? Does he need to take the scissors and cut me with them to have something radical done? I love where I am and I love my kids; but this is week six. If this is what's happening at week six, I fear a roundhouse kick to my face might be just around the bend at week 16. What's next?

So I am left, with this sinking feeling as I head into school tomorrow morning because my abuser will be there and no matter how hard he knocks me down, gosh darn it, the only thing I can do is get back up again.