It is the first day of school, with Micah and his friends starting 7th grade, Matthew (Micah’s older brother) starting his freshman year of high school, and Christopher (Micah’s younger brother) starting 5th grade (his final year of elementary. This year, Christopher has been assigned to Mrs. Lockson as his homeroom teacher and Mrs. Stromly as his Language Arts teacher. Christopher has also been assigned to Mrs. Pitzer (Micah’s 5th grade homeroom teacher) as his Math teacher. The year starts off ok for Christopher, as he stays caught up on his studies and homework, but one day, his teachers begin to mistreat him. On another day, Mrs. Lockson gives a lecture with Christopher struggling to learn and being picked by Mrs. Lockson to answer a question, despite not having his hand up. Christopher answers the question wrong with Mrs. Lockson angrily saying, “No! You need to pay attention!”
“I’m trying!” responded Christopher angrily.
“Well, try harder!” replied Mrs. Lockson angrily. Mrs. Lockson proceeds with the lesson while Christopher continues to struggle learning until Mrs. Pitzer starts teaching Math to Christopher’s class, which Christopher also has trouble understanding. At one point in class, Christopher raises his hand with Mrs. Pitzer calling on him.
“How do you solve all that again?” asked Christopher.
“I just explained it! This is why you need to pay attention!” responded Mrs. Pitzer angrily.
“I’m trying my best! What is your problem?!” asked Christopher angrily.
“Don’t you back sass me! Or I’m giving you a detention!” responded Mrs. Pitzer angrily. Christopher groans angrily while Mrs. Pitzer proceeds with her lesson, only for Christopher to continue struggling to learn. At the end of the day, Christopher walks home and begins his homework, struggling to solve the problems to his frustration.
“I give up! This is just too hard!” says Christopher to himself angrily while shoving his supplies off the kitchen counter. Christopher walks to his room while Micah approaches him and asks, “What seems to be the problem, Christopher?”
“None of your beeswax!” answered Christopher angrily.
“What’s with the attitude? I was just asking.” responded Micah annoyingly.
“Do you promise to leave me alone if I tell you?” asked Christopher angrily.
“You have my word.” answered Micah.
“I can’t figure out my homework.” said Christopher angrily.
“I can help you out.” responded Micah.
“I don’t need your help! I can figure it out myself!” replied Christopher angrily.
“Whatever. Get a bad grade and repeat 5th grade. See if I care.” says Micah while walking away. After playing video games for a while, Christopher gets back to work on his homework, struggling to find out the answers.
“Oh, the heck with it!” says Christopher to himself frustratingly while writing down random answers. The next day at school, Christopher turns in his homework and receives his grade the following day, which turns out to be an “F” and a comment saying, “See me after class”. After school ends for the day, Christopher approaches his teachers, only to be rudely remarked by his difficulty in learning the lectures being taught to him. After the first quarter of the school year ends, Christopher receives his report card with the rest of his class, looking at it and finding a comment at the bottom that says, “Chris, you need to do a better job of turning in your homework.” After arriving home, Christopher shows his report card to his mother, who looks at it and sees the comment.
“I’ll have a word with your teachers at the next parent-teacher conference.” said Christopher’s mother. On the day of the parent-teacher conference, Christopher and his mother meet with Christopher’s teachers, who criticize him for his difficulty in class.
“Matthew was never like this.” said Mrs. Stromly.
“Well, he’s not Matthew.” responded Christopher’s mother. The teachers go on with their rant until the end of the session.
“So, what’s the good take-away from this?” asked Christopher’s mother. Christopher’s teachers refuse to answer with Christopher and his mother leaving the classroom.
“Don’t listen to them, Christopher. We’re going to see Principal Sarver right now.” says Christopher’s mother while leading Christopher to Principal Sarver’s office. Christopher’s mother knocks on Principal Sarver’s door with Principal Sarver answering it immediately.
“Hi, you two!” said Principal Sarver.
“May we have a word with you?” asked Christopher’s mother.
“Absolutely! What seems to be the problem?” asks Principal Sarver while inviting Christopher and his mother into his office. After sitting down, Christopher’s mother starts explaining to Principal Sarver about her meeting with Christopher’s teachers and the criticism given off by them.
“Why, that’s terrible! I’ll have a word with them and get this mess straightened out.” said Principal Sarver.
“Thank you, Mr. Sarver.” responds Christopher’s mother while exiting the office with Christopher. The next day in school, Micah and his friends enter the gym with Micah accidentally bumping into Mrs. Pitzer along the way and causing her to drop some papers.
“Oh! Sorry, Mrs. Pitzer!” says Micah worriedly while helping Mrs. Pitzer retrieve her papers.
“It’s ok, Micah.” responded Mrs. Pitzer. After Micah hands Mrs. Pitzer her remaining papers, Mrs. Pitzer says to him, “Your brother, Christopher, is a huge pain.”
“He’s just learning is all.” responded Micah.
“No he’s not! He’s not paying attention and not doing his homework!” replied Mrs. Pitzer angrily.
“What has gotten into you? You were never like this when my friends and I had you.” asked Micah.
“You or your mom better talk some sense into Christopher.” responded Mrs. Pitzer angrily.
“I may not be a teacher, but I do know this: you took the job, Mrs. Pitzer. So, this is what you have to deal with.” replied Micah. Mrs. Pitzer angrily rolls her eyes and heads to her classroom while Micah meets up with his friends in the gym. On their way to their classrooms, Mrs. Pitzer, along with Mrs. Lockson and Mrs. Stromly, get stopped by Principal Sarver, who says to them, “I need to a word with you three.” Principal Sarver escorts Christopher’s teachers to his office and says, “I’ve received a complaint from Christopher’s mother yesterday on how you all were treating him.”
“He’s not paying attention!” said Mrs. Lockson angrily.
“And he’s not doing his homework either!” said Mrs. Stromly angrily.
“Have you tried reasoning with him?” asked Principal Sarver.
“What good will that do?” asked Mrs. Pitzer angrily.
“Don’t argue with me. You three need to clean up your acts right now, or I’m going to have to let you all go. I’m going to be in your guys’ classrooms today to keep an eye on how you’re doing.” responded Principal Sarver angrily. Christopher enters his classroom and sees Mr. Sarver sitting inside with Mr. Sarver saying, “Good morning, Chris. I just talked to your teachers. I’m here to monitor their work.”
“Thanks, Principal Sarver.” responded Christopher. During class, Mrs. Lockson teaches her lesson with Christopher struggling to understand and raising his hand.
“I’m still having trouble. Could you go over that again, please?” asked Christopher.
“Christopher, I thought I told you to…” says Mrs. Lockson angrily while Principal Sarver gives her a stern look.
“I mean, sure. What seems to be the problem?” asked Mrs. Lockson kindly. Christopher explains his difficulty with Mrs. Lockson kindly helping him out while Principal Sarver watches. Christopher proceeds with his day at school with his teachers while Principal Sarver watches. At the end of the day, Principal Sarver calls Christopher’s teachers into his office again and says, “You three did great today. Just remember, not all students learn the same way.”
“We’re sorry for our attitude before, Principal Sarver.” responded Mrs. Lockson.
“All is forgiven. It takes time and patience.” replied Principal Sarver.
“We promise not to be out of line again.” said Mrs. Stromly.
“I’ll be the judge of that. To make sure it stays this way, I (or someone I trust) will be watching you three teach for a while.” responded Principal Sarver.
“Fair enough.” said Mrs. Pitzer. On a daily basis, Principal Sarver, as well as aids he sends during his busiest times or days he’s not at school, attend Christopher’s class as his teachers give their lessons, critiquing their work. To his impression, Principal Sarver receives many good reports from the aids he sends to Christopher’s class. Some time later, Principal Sarver calls Christopher’s teachers into his office and says, “I see you three have made quite an improvement lately.”
“Like you said, it takes time and patience.” responded Mrs. Lockson.
“I think I can trust the three of you to teach without being monitored.” replied Principal Sarver. The next day in school, Christopher’s teachers teach their lessons without Principal Sarver or any of his aids present in the classroom. Christopher and some of his classmates have a hard time understanding the lessons with the teachers helping them out kindly and patiently while Principal Sarver watches from outside the classroom with a smile on his face. Principal Sarver walks back to his office while Christopher goes on about his school day with his class and teachers.
The End
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