I just don't get it!

I don't usually post about my job or my classroom but I am so confused by a new little friend I just have to write it down. First, let me start off by saying I teach in a school where there are many children who are considered at risk just because of their socio-economic status. In the preschool program in our state, we take children based on low income and on identified disabilities. Throughout the years I thought I had experienced almost everything I could possibly experience in this particular school. I have had children with ADHD, physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities, oppositional defiant disorder, and even children who are medically fragile. I have had typical children who have so little structure in their home lives that they appear to have disabilities but are, in fact, very bright children who just needed someone to show/teach them to have boundaries.

Tourette's Syndrome is something I have only seen on television. I watched a movie about a man with Tourette's who went on to be a teacher. It was something like you would see on the Lifetime Channel but it was a great movie. Now, I'm not saying I have a child in my class with Tourette's because I am no diagnostician and have no qualifications to make such diagnosis. I am saying I have a child who has some very random behaviors. Very random and sometimes very violent. I pride myself on being able to just go with the flow in the classroom and if a child disrupts the classroom, I can usually go right on with what I'm doing. This child's first day I was so distracted I could barely get through our morning calendar group. The random shouting, the cursing not to anyone in particular. I have never been that surprised in my whole teaching career (well, maybe I have been that surprised during my first few years of teaching but you get my drift). When you look at this little child you just see this beautiful little face with these big beautiful eyes. It is so hard to accept that he has the mouth of a sailor and just acts/reacts in such a violent or random way. I definitely will be getting more info on Tourette's and ADHD in the very near future. I am hoping that once everything is checked out that there will be a different diagnosis for this little one. But in the mean time, I am just plugging away with him trying to do my very best to make him feel loved. He is truly becoming one of my favorite children despite the behavior. I always end up getting attached to the ones who take more time to get under control.

I always try to put a positive spin on things especially when I am in a very difficult situation. So, here is my "spin". At least I might loose a couple of pounds and get into shape with this little one in my class. Also, I might learn to be a more patient person and more accepting of other people's situations.

I have always been the kind of person who loves a challenge and this might just be one of the biggest challenges I have had in quite a while.