2 Stories...

Story #1 - The Shooting

Several weeks ago, a handful of students came in telling me about a shooting in their neighborhood. The first said, "Mrs. Flynn, somebody got shot behind my house." She was relatively nonchalant, so I tried to be, as well.

"When?" I asked.

"Yesterday."

"Did you hear it?"

"Yea. It was by my back door."

I thought for a while about how to respond. "Did you know the person?"

"Yea. It LaDasha's cousin."

"Is he okay?"

"Yea."

Then the other child chimed in. "Yea. I heard the ambulance. They went to the hospital. I heard it, too."

I brought the students over to me to talk about it more, as this first part was happening across the room. "How did it make you feel?" I asked them. They were each thoughtful about their responses.

"It made me wake up during the night and I dreamed about monsters," one told me.

"Scared. And sad," the other said.

It's so sad to me. That was the last I heard of it. I had the guidance counselor talk to them the next day, but they never seemed interested in talking about it again. I mean, these kids are barely five years old. They shouldn't have to experience this. And if they do experience it, it shouldn't be so normal. They're already beginnging to be desensitised, which is the worst part, in my opinion. I just want to wrap them up in my arms and bring them home. I just love my babies.

Story #2 - Flickin' People Off

My new friend (student) started throwing up her middle finger at people this afternoon. For no apparent reason, not that it would make it better if there was a reason, I suppose. I think that besides the fact that she was doing it at all, the next worst part is that my other student came over to me and said, "Mrs. Flynn, she flickin' people off."

"What?" I said.

"She puttin' up her middle finger at people." I mean seriously, at 6 years old, they not only know the sign and what it means, but know the slang for it! I mean, come on!

Just another day with my new buddy...