OMG Moments in Education, Part II

(photo from Google images)

[Inspired by a conversation with Confessions of a Working Mom, I decided to post this funny story, which took place two years ago and was originally titled, "The Three Musketeers."

There are three 6th grade girls with cognitive disabilities in our school. They are 11-year olds who often seem more like little old ladies, walking down the hall arm-in-arm, thick as thieves and full of confidence. I often see them bossing each other around or encouraging each other with a lot of sincerity, and sometimes a lot of emotion. I have had almost no interaction with them until today, since Mrs. M is their teacher, but today was memorable!

I just got SPANKED by one of these girls the hallway! That’s right; smacked right on the butt by a girl whose name I didn’t even know. I had stopped Spunky, Silly, and Sassy in the hallway, because I had just seen Spunky smack Silly on the bottom. I said, “Excuse me, Ladies….that is not [SMACK] appropriate!” Spunky slunk off, giggling, and her partners-in-mischief followed suit.

Taken aback, flipping wildly through the Rolodex of appropriate responses in my head (and trying not to laugh out loud) I said sternly, “THAT is not okay! I think we need to go talk with Mrs. M! Spunky crinkled up her nose, stuck out her tongue, and defiantly spat, “No!”

Grasping at straws; at a loss for what to do (I don’t know these girls at all and have never taught kids with cognitive disabilities), I threatened, “Do I just need to write a referral instead?”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOO!” came her smart-aleck response (as in, “Ooooooooo; I’m so scared! Lady, you are in way over your head, so just shuffle off and mind your own business!” Yikes!!) And she turned around, shuffling off to lunch.

Of course, I followed up with her teacher, and I have an entirely new respect for Mrs. M and her gang of aides down the hall. I now know Spunky’s real name. (And I’ll probably walk backwards down the hall the next time I see her!)