On Friday, Kurt Trundlebury was in trouble again. He'd come to school without a pencil (or a pen, a ruler or his planner) and thought he would just take what he needed from another pupil's pencil case. The pupil from whom he "borrowed" said items was understandably put out, and he made a fuss - disproportionate obviously, but let's deal with one thing at a time! Kurt was sent out of the room and I followed him to see if I could fight fire with water (a recent Training Provider had offered this advice, and it seems to be the one thing that our staff has taken on board - at least as a notion if not an element of everyday practice).
Outside the room, I asked him if he actually had a fully equipped pencil case at home.
Kurt: Can't afford one Miss.
TwP: Ok.
Kurt: I got trips to pay for, rugby and that.
TwP: I understand that, Kurt, but I think having a pencil and a pen rather takes priority over paying for a rugby trip.
Kurt: But we haven't got much money, Miss.
And then he looked at me, and grinned widely, and slyly.
What was going on here? Have we come so far down the line that pupils are aware that we have to be sensitive to the disparity between our various families' financial situations so they actively use that to justify not having the correct equipment/uniform/whatever?
TwP: Kurt, I think you should consider getting a pen and a pencil at least. You don't have to buy them. I'm sure someone can find you a pencil and a pen of your own, because you can't just take stuff from other people's pencil cases.
Kurt: But he's my cousin, Miss.
TwP: Even so, you shouldn't take things without asking...
Kurt: But he's my cousin. He don't mind.
TwP: Well, clearly he did. So what do you think? Can you get a pencil and pen by Monday?
Kurt nodded. I didn't think for a moment that he would even remember, let alone bother.
However, when I walked into the classroom on Tuesday, I clocked Kurt starightaway.
And the pencil case he'd brought in with him.
Not exactly a towering inferno, but I managed to douse those few flickering flames. Our Training Provider would be proud...
No comments:
Post a Comment