So, in order to extract about 2 minutes of info from Big Kid, I have to ask 45,000 questions. I was doing that today trying to get the 4-1-1 on his social situation and camp experience.
"So, how's Mr. D? Is he nice or funny or serious or grouchy?"
"He's great. 'Cept he was a little grouchy today."
"Really? Why was he grouchy?"
"'Cuz eberyone was talkin' a whole lot and stuff and da principal had a meeting and we needed to be quiet or Mr. D was going to smash all of our art."
"What? What was that?"
"Mr. D said if we weren't quiet for da meetin', he was gonna smash all of our art."
(Stunned silence) "Did he really say that? Tell me what he said."
"Dat is what he said, if we weren't quiet he was gonna smash all of our art."
"What did everyone do then?"
"Sat dere real quiet, probably 'cuz dey didn't want our art all smashed up."
(Horrified) "What were you thinking when he said that? How did that make you feel?"
"I dest sat dere real quiet. I was finkin' if he smashed up all of da art, dat my statue of Miranda would be in dere, so I was quiet as possible."
(Furious) "Big Kid--let me tell you, Mr. D will not smash up your art. He will not."
"No, really. Dat is what he said."
"I believe he said it, but I think he was just stressed out and may not be used to working with children and he picked the wrong thing to say. He really picked the wrong thing to say. If he ever says anything like that again, obey him and be quiet but know in your heart that he will NOT be smashing your art, or anyone's art. Ever."
"He really said it, he did."
"Yeah, but he can't do that. Adults can't break people's things because they are angry. If he says that again, or anything like that, feel free to tell him that he is going to need to talk to your mom about that. And no matter what, be sure to tell me when I pick you up."
I then went on to try to determine how out of control everyone was, and he said people were just talking. When I said they're probably allowed to talk quietly though, he said they are only supposed to talk at snack and at the playground (don't even get me started on them needing a snack during a 3-hour program). They don't all work on the same projects at the same time or anything, so it isn't like they need to be silent for instructional purposes. They seem to mostly do what they want with the occasional coil cup or thumb pot thrown in for authenticity's sake. After more interrogation, things got hazy though and I couldn't tell if they really aren't allowed to talk and it wasn't long before he was getting weirded out by all of my questions and tired of talking about it.
Soooooooo, I'm pretty pissed at Mr. D. What kind of creep tells a class full of 5 and 6 year olds that he's going to break their stuff? I guess hiring artists instead of teachers may not have been such a great idea after all. Also, it is at a museum hosting tons of camps right now. No way was there a principal nearby in a meeting seriously needing silence. If so, they picked a dumb time and place for a meeting.
I don't want to be the confrontational, letter-writing, highly-offended mom but I don't want to be paying money for my kid to make pottery in a sweatshop-like atmosphere. It's only 2 more days, but I hope Mr. D can keep himself together.
Big Kid acted like nothing different was going on with Miranda, so I guess that's good. He also really loves art school, even if Mr. D teaches like Kim Jong Il rules.
I'm looking forward to seeing the Miranda statue, let's hope it survives the kiln.
7 comments:
sounds like camp is fun! NOT. i'd write that letter if i were you. seriously, what a dick.
Remember BK likes to embellish a little, remember the stories he used to tell about you at school? But you could just ask the teacher what happened at least that way if he did say something so horrible he would know you and BK talk and he better be careful. Xo
I am reading for the first time - and have tears I'm laughing so hard... trying NOT to wake my family. And I can assure you... the comments from me shall FLOW FREELY... BECAUSE YOU MAKE.ME.LAUGH. Great post!
Mr. D deserves an ass whoopin!
when i was substitute teaching, a kg teacher had a sign on her desk, "if you promise to only believe half of what your child says about me, i'll do the same." or something to that effect.
i hope the teacher wasn't that bad.
Baby Girl comes home with stories like this all the time and then when I ask about what happened at the school she has either taken something completely out of context or misunderstood or lied. I always try to ask with her there, casually, and you can see the look she gets on her face when she has over exaggerated something and realizes that I'm fixin' to find her out. And not only does she do this, all the kids at her school do. Just the other day one of the moms was talking to the Director and I could tell the mom was upset. Her son had gone home and told his mother that they wouldn't let him get a drink of water and he was thirsty. Well, the true story was that he just got up and walked out of the classroom without telling the teacher where he was going or asking for permission. You should have seen the look on his face.
I would just ask Mr. D, casually, what was the deal with the meeting that day or say something like, "Big Kid came home really upset because he thought you were going to smash up his art. I know he tends to be dramatic sometimes, but what was that all about." That way you can get the real story and/or let Mr. D know that you are on to him and won't put up with his threatening your kid.
I *think* I'm going to let it slide, only because there's only 2 more days. Mr. Ashley's grandma is an artist who works a lot with/sells art through this museum and I think I'm going to ask her if she knows this guy and bring it up in a casual, "how weird is that?" kind of way and see what she says.
I do believe this guy said something to the effect of smashing something because of the way Big Kid kept fixating on that exact phrase, it's just impossible to know how the guy said it (although it is hard to imagine a kind or joking way of saying or implying such a thing).
Big Kid doesn't seem traumatized and still loves the class, so it couldn't have been too bad, I guess.
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