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|| TARAJI
My heels clicked on the impeccably buffed black and white-tiled floors as I carried the hot box of Krispy Kreme donuts and my Marc Jacobs work bag to my classroom. I balanced the donut box on my knee while fishing around in my bag for the key to my classroom. I found my keys in the bottom and I unlocked the door, walking inside. I sat the donuts and my bag down on my desk, turning on the warm golden-white LED lights that I had put up around my room over the summer. I have found that the lights keep the kids awake and engaged. I can't wait for them to get here and see the sweet treat that I have for them. They're going to be so excited. I try to reward them as often as I can. Positive reinforcement is a great source of motivation, and in rewarding them, I am rewarded with the opportunity to watch their adorable little faces light up. I was about to sit down in my chair and get started on my lesson plan for the day when someone knocked on my door. I wish I could be disciplined enough to lesson-plan the day before like Fantasia does. I reluctantly acknowledged the interruption by going to the door and opening it, however, nobody was there. I was going to close the door back and lock it until I felt a tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see one of my students, Aubrey, staring up at me with his big brown doe eyes. In terms of good ethics, a teacher isn't supposed to have a favorite student, but if I were allowed to have a favorite student, it would be Aubrey. He's a handful, but it's only because he's so much more academically advanced than his classmates, and I enjoy the way he keeps me on my toes. I'll admit that his behavior can be a bit disruptive sometimes, but he never means any harm.
Taraji: Not that I'm not happy to see you, Aubrey, but what are you doing here so early?
Aubrey: My mommy dropped me off.
Taraji: Your mom dropped you off almost two hours early? Really? She usually drops you off late.
Aubrey: I guess she's trying to change her ways. Can I come in?
Taraji: Yeah, sure. Come on in.
I opened the door wider, allowing him to walk in. I closed the door but kept it unlocked, making a mental note to talk to Aubrey's mother about her inconsistency with drop-off and pick-up time. There have been instances where I had to sit with him 3 hours after dismissal because she was late coming to get him. Through many phone calls and parent-teacher conferences I have learned that Aubrey's mother is an LPN and she works crazy hours, but she has a husband who can help out with Aubrey's transportation, so there's really no excuse for the irresponsibility. I don't like threatening to get CPS involved with my students' home situations, but if the negligence continues, I won't have a choice. As a mandated reporter and a teacher who cares deeply about what happens to her students both inside and outside of the school, it's my job to get involved when parents aren't doing what's in the best interest of their kids.
