This is the second installment on the subject of the parental unit. A quick search in my memory bank indicates that I could have several installments in a row should I choose to do so.
Like millions that are advanced in years health obstacles tend to jump out and grab you. Despite many consecutive years attending the local Y five or six days a week I was diagnosed with hypertension. I'm not a happy camper when I receive the news but as the doctor stated it's a hereditary problem so deal with it. So every day I go through the same basic routine, the three S's and then fill a glass with water, pick up a pill and pop it in my mouth, drink the water and swallow the pill. When the vial that contains the pill nears the empty stage I go to the pharmacy and get more pills. Then repeat these steps for the rest of my life. Pretty simple process.
Dear parental unit what and the hell are you thinking when you allow your child's prescription to run out and then delay getting it filled. To quote Ronald Weasley from the Harry Potter series "are you mental". Dear parental unit making sure your child takes his medication daily is not difficult so how do you manage to screw it up. Dear parental unit why do you let you child's medication run out? All you have to do is go to the pharmacy and get more so how do you manage to screw that up.
For six consecutive school days we had at least one scholar attending school without first taking his medication. Fortunately for us at no time did we have two scholars without medication on the same day during this time frame. I've sat in the back of the classroom long enough now to recognize behavior changes that are caused by a lack of medication. What I didn't understand was why it appeared that the scholars behavior got progressively worse with each passing day until I discussed the matter with PhD? Sparty. She used sinus conditions in her analogy. One the first day without your sinus medication you can breathe fairly well but know something is not right. Day two your breathing ability is now impaired and breathing is more difficult. On day three your nose is screaming at you to go to the pharmacy and get your prescription filled.
With the scholars it becomes a matter of staying focused and some cases controlling their emotions. I'll take you through the three day progression and as you read this you'll understand why I stated that BaseG and I were fortunate that only one scholar was off medication at a time. On day one it was noticeable even before we completed the Pledge of Allegiance and morning announcements. Can't sit still, got up and walk out of the room stating I want to go see my evil sister. Came back in the classroom room and sat at his desk but not for long. Up again and moving around. Some academics is completed but not much. Day two and now even more active and louder. Screams for no apparent reason, bothering other students, wants breakfast and before I can get to the door he's in the hallway and running to the cafeteria. Back with breakfast but does not have the ability to stay focused long enough to eat and eventually tosses the food into the wastebasket. Continues to disrupt other students and starts climbing on furniture. Little if any academics is completed. Day three and now very active. Climbing on desks and book cases, vocally louder and speaking aggressively. Moves in my direction and states he is going to punch BaseG in the private parts. Then makes a move toward me and makes a hand movement like he is going to stab me with his ink pen. The other scholars are now getting agitated with this behavior and start shouting at him to be quiet. With the room volitality increasing BaseG removes the scholar from the room. After a somewhat lengthy absence from the room BaseG returns and walks over to me and says he'll be gone for multiple days. Why so long I asked. He had a real blow up in the Big Boss office.
As I said in a previous post their is an informal agreement between the parental unit and the teacher to work together to insure that the scholar improves both academically and socially. Unfortunately academics and social skills to a back seat for six consecutive days. The timing of this incident is troublesome as on April 28th the second round of statewide testing starts. From the parental units perspective this testing is of little importance as they have an easy out. They can just blame the fat ass teacher and the instructional assistant that is so old he belongs in a nursing home. From the teacher's perspective jobs are on the line because if the scholar fails the statewide tests then it must be due to ineffective teaching. If some knucklehead from the news media decides to write another article claiming that huge numbers of teachers must be ineffective because state wide tests scores dropped the general public believes this crap. Listen and listen carefully. From my view at the back of the room I'll tell you straight up why scholars fail academically. They are products of piss poor parenting and if you don't believe me read the second paragraphs above again.
Hmmm! The three S's. I wonder if I have to explain that?
And this is so true...
ReplyDelete