Not in this classroom

Here's a little story about a teacher who kept her calm, and a student who didn't want her to...

Deron is one of the bigger kids in my class and when he gets going, he has a temper that could scare away an angry herd of juvenile elephants. Well, apparently, yesterday was -- or wasn't -- his day. As Formation class ended, the Minister allowed Deron and multiple other students to make a bathroom run. As they headed out into the hallway, the other classroom of 7th grade students was emptying into it from the gym. Things started to get loud as I attempted to bring my Reading class (which Deron was supposed to be in) under control. So, I stepped into the hall and gently herded all of my students out of the noise and into class. Deron -- wasn't having it.

"I need to go to the bathroom." he stated, as loud as the noise. I responded by telling him that I will allow him to go to the bathroom once the halls have cleared, but for now I need him in reading.

"MAN!!! This is..."

I responded by reminding him that he wasn't in trouble but that he needed to come into the room and we'll take it from there.

"But I gotta go now!"

"Well Deron, you were messing around with the girls, not in the bathroom, if you had been in the bathroom we wouldn't even be talking about this."

He walks through the doorway, by me, across the room, and proceeds to shove an empty chair back across my room. Now he has the attention of every student in my room, and their all looking at me, waiting for a reaction as he goes and sits on top of his desk. Not as his desk, not in his chair, ON TOP OF HIS DESK.

This is me, reeeeal quiet like: "Deron, please come here." (No response as he sits on his desk.)

"Deron, come here please." (No response as he still, sits on his desk.)

"Deron..." (Still, nothing.)

"Deron, out of respect for you I do not want to have this conversation in front of our class, please step outside of the room." (Deron, tough as a brick wall, continues to sit.) Before I could even fully grasp what was coming out of my mouth I said to my class, "7A please line up."

Ou it was serious now, and I didn't even have a clue. I'm standing there, wondering whoa! what'd I just say? as all of my students very silently, and in the most organized fashion they've ever accomplished, lined up. I turned to the science teacher who happened to be in the room and politely asked her to take them on "a bathroom break...or something." And she did. And then Deron and I were alone in the room.

Now what? Good Lord! I'm not even sure, I do know, I let him stay where he was, and I kept my distance, but I engaged him in a conversation about the bathroom, what it meant to be in trouble, why he was now in trouble, disrespect, class disruption, and who knows what else came between us. Engaged. Amazing. I couldn't believe it. Before long, Deron knew his punishment, got to go to the bathroom, and by the end of the day we were laughing together like I didn't kick 13 kids out of my room instead of him.

Strange.