Only in my world

My world is a strange and twisted one. Let me give you an example.

I have a student, actually he's not really mine, he's just in my class as part of inclusion. He is labeled Emotionally Behaviorally disturbed. Up until now he has been a massive discipline problem in every class he is ever in. Not mine. This is where it gets really funny. In my class he is the kid who always has his hand up. Except the question/comment is always off topic, stating the already stated obvious or an attempt to correct me. Further he was the one yesterday who tried the "It's not fair" tack with me. He comes into class before everyone else, waits until I sit at my computer to work on something and chirps "Hi, Miss X. How was your day yesterday, I love that dress you are wearing, it looks very nice on you. What are we going to study in class today..." and on like a magpie, completely oblivious to the fact that I am busy. For the first month when I would take him aside, to explain this verbal diarrhea problem, he went home and told his mom I didn't like him. Later I met with his mother and as the only regular ed teacher that endorsed her son as well behaved (in my class he is not really disruptive, just a bit annoying on occasion) she and I talked for an hour. We covered some of the behaviors that needed improvement. When I was shown his discipline file (almost 8 inches thick) I was appropriately astounded as I couldn't see this as the same kid who attended my class. I'm not sure what she told him about that meeting, but since then, he now seems to think that the more irritated I get with him for talking out of turn, interrupting or (and this is his favorite thing) questioning my ability, authority or accuracy publicly in class, that the more I must like him. Though occasionally he still asks if there is a reason I am mad at him.

It reminds me of the TV show Bones, where a rather geeky young man feels that the cool FBI agent ignoring him is actually a male bonding thing. When the FBI guy actually tried to be nice to him the kid was hurt. This is the same relationship I have developed with this student. It really is strange. Today he turned in an essay about his favorite teachers. This was the paragraph he wrote about me.

My 9th grade Literature teacher is the number one weirdest teacher that I have ever met. A newly discovered Jem, she is one of the rarest persons in the world. She speaks her mind and says what she feels, even if its not what you are trying to hear. Even still she is a sweet, wonderful, amazing creature at heart. I haven't quite learned everything about her yet, but from what I have learned she would be the ideal friend, teacher and bodyguard!

Like I said, only in my life.