This job can be heart wrenching at times; namely any time one of the little kids starts crying.
Today, toward the end of my first class I had to run to the teachers room to make copies because I didn't have enough homework sheets. Upon reentering the class one of the kids tells me that Ally is crying. I've had kids cry before; hell, it happens every week. Typically the crying student goes through three phases: 1.) Clearly upset about something, the student goes silent; 2.) The student apparently realizes that they are on the verge of crying, and briefly entertains thoughts of keeping composure, grinning and bearing it; and 3.) The collapse is complete, the student's instincts take over, they bury their head in their arms and sob.
Poor Ally didn't follow protocol. I head over toward her and find her cowering under her desk. I kneel down and try to get the scoop. She looks at me, and it is the most tragic look I've ever seen. Tears are streaming down her face, but she's completely silent and looks like her whole world just fell apart.
Comforting a child under these circumstances is never easy, even more so when they don't understand the language that you speak. So, what can I do? Well, I pat her back, and say her name as delicately as I can. Seeing that she is still in shambles, I figure it's time to get down to brass tacks and find out who the culprit is. I ask her several times, "Who?" in hopes of getting a name. But, she doesn't say a word-- I suspect there's been a class-wide stop-snitching campaign going on right under my nose.
In time, one of the Korean teachers takes over and is able to provide the reassuring words that a crying child needs.
After the next period ends (a class in which another young girl cried) I leave my classroom and see Ally, all smiles, bull rushing me with a big hug. I ask her if she's okay, she grins, says "yes," and all is right in the world.
Oh, and I eventually did find out who it was that made her cry. It was Randy. That kid has a shit-storm heading his way.
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