Chair Crisis

Today, I had two children sitting in silent lunch. Silent lunch is not to meant to be fun times, I don't have students sitting there often, but every once in a while I do. As I am having lunch with the third and fifth grade teachers I notice, Raphael move his chair, in fact is appears to me that he trades chairs for a new one. I decide not to say anything. A little while later, I see Raphael up again with his chair, moving it throughout the silent table area. The third time I see this happen, I say, "Raphael, why are you playing around with your chair, you are in silent lunch, this isn't playtime."

"Ms. J., that would be because he is stuck to his chair," says the third grade teacher. She was sitting closest to Raphael and realized when I spoke to him that he was stuck.

In disbelief, I get up from my chair and tell Raphael to come over, so I can see. I have no idea what I was thinking on that one, because poor Raphael starts walking to me with this chair dragging behind him. I realize this was not the smartest move on my part and say, "I will come to you."

Sure enough, Raphael had somehow got one of the bungee strings at the bottom of his jacket caught in one of the pieces of the chair. This explains why every time he got up to throw trash away, his chair was constantly moving. I was then left feeling like a bad teacher for not realizing this to begin with and trying to correct his behavior, when all along he was stuck.

On a side note, Jospeh recently said to another child in class, he was going to try really hard to be honest, because honesty is our word of the month and he has not gotten Witness to the Word this school year. If that as a teacher doesn't want to make you pick Joseph, today Father came to visit the class and was asking the class questions. Joseph raised his hand, but Father answered his own question before calling on Joseph. He tells Joseph he is sorry, and asks if Joseph was going to say the same answer. Joseph looks directly at Father and says, "No, Father." Father, I think a little surprised by Joseph's answer says with a smile on his face, "Well, Joseph, I thank you for being honest with me." I don't think I have looked forward to Witness to the Word certificates coming out as I do for the month of February, I am excited to see Joseph's reaction when he gets his certificate. After today's lesson with Father, he truly has earned his certificate. :)