Behavioral Problem

I read all of your posts and listen to everyone discussing their students' behavioral problems during our classes and realize how blessed I am. My school is set up a little different in that my school is the vocational high school for the three other high schools in the county. Because it is a unique situation, not all students are given the privilege to come to my school - only the ones WITHOUT disciplinary issues.

I share this with you because this week was a little different for me. I had a new student join my class this week who had just moved from Greenville. We are already several weeks into the material which puts her at a disadvantage and she is a senior who needs my class to graduate. When she arrives, she boldly states that she does not want to be in my class and that she doesn't know why they put her in my class. At first, my feeling was mutual - if she doesn't want to be in my class then I don't want her there. But then I took a step back and realized that God put her in my class for some reason and I have the rest of the semester to figure it out.

The third day of class, she was working on a measuring quiz along with the class and I noticed that she was a little behind everyone else so I went over to help. She did NOT want my help at all. I had a nice compliment from one of the other students when they were trying to reassure her that I was a "nice" teacher and I was only trying to help. I left her alone for the rest of the class and let her work on her own.

The next day when she came to class I had to sit down with her and try to help catch her up with the program that we have been working since the beginning of January. She was very receptive to the help which totally shocked me but also relieved that I wasn't going to have to battle her everyday.

She definitely has some issues and I just pray that I can be of some help to her this semester. God did not give me thick skin so I'm going to trust that God will only give me what I can handle.