It is humbling at times to share our family's lives on here with you all. From day one I wanted this to be a "journal like" blog. I try really hard to not ever profess to be somebody that I'm not! I share our life story and at times we have drama just like any family does...:) So you all get the drama and when there is no drama "like we would all like it to be ALL THE TIME" you get that to...:)
Anyway on with my attempt...
"My sixth grader"
Jordan is our sixth grader. He has always been my easiest, most pleasant child. No ups and downs with Jordan. Always smiling. Always happy. Never moody. Servants heart if you ever saw one!! He is so helpful around the house and he takes care of Javon to the point of Javon preferring Jordan over myself!
BUT Jordan is not perfect! I do not attempt to make it sound to you like our children do no wrong or that we stick up for them when they have school/teacher issues! We have always taught them to respect the higher authority... God, Parents and Teacher.
School this year as Jordan started the sixth grade has been challenging from the start. He came home from day one with his lip quivering. His teacher was known to be very strict with an endless list of rules. Lots of tension was in the air. From day one this teacher tried to enforce the rules yet the students could argue there way to a different answer if they tried hard enough.
I will not sit here and bad mouth Jordan's teacher. I believe some people are called to be teachers and are very good at it. Everyone has gifts and talents. Jordan's teacher is struggling to connect with the students no matter how hard he tries. He is struggling to keep after his work and he has no extra time for anything let alone the one on one time that many students need. I think his gifts might just be in something other then teaching...:) Just my opinion.
I'm part at fault here to. Jordan came home every single day with stories.... Stories like "so and so lost recess today because of so and so" So and So had to go across the hallway to a classroom where the principle teaches again today for so and so reason. (this class has a well worn path to that classroom!)
One day in particular Jordan's lip quivered as he told me one student lost recess when he handed him a tissue as his nose was bleeding badly, because one of the rules was "no handling things back and forth"! Jordan felt responsible and he felt so bad for this student. I heard these stories every single day and eventually I guess they just came and went and I just laughed them off or acted like they were no big deal when really they probably were!?. Jordan got the feeling that I probably wouldn't care if he started to be naughty. He got the feeling that I might side with him if he were one of the naughty ones to!? I'm sorry about this now. I think the way this class dealt with this perfectionist teacher was to just simply be bad together.
Jordan got expelled for whispering. The teacher told the class "No whispering today, we have unnecessary whispering going on lately and it needs to stop" Soon after that Jordan whispered. He was out. Dave got called and he came home. Maybe partly to prove a point to. I agree something needed to be done. Disrespect is uncalled for and not at all the way we raise our children. I also believe the respect needs to be earned at some point.
The behavior thing might be able to be worked out and the rules might be enforced now, things might go better now that a few boys were expelled yesterday, but the main thing is this... Jordan has always been a whiz student until this year! Math was his strongest subject every year. (gets it from his dad for sure!) This year it's his worst! He says "Mom he don't explain it, so soon we need to do checking and I haven't even gotten the steps yet". His grades are far worse then they ever were or then we ever figured we would see them be. It could also be the distraction that is hurting this. I know things were going on all the time when the teacher had his back turned and this can be a distraction for the students, yet I feel like it is simply the only way they knew how to deal with the circumstances around them. Perfection is hard to ask of sixth grade "Fun, jolly, lively sixth graders"! Believe me I know, I had this class here a few times over the years and they sure are a lively happening bunch! But is it okay to squash this part of them by expecting perfection? The personalities are God given and he does not want us to squash them!
As of yesterday and today I'm enjoying Jordan at home. He has his steel plate job that he working on. He has a back order on them and he has a big order needing to go out Thursday. He was in the garden garage as I took Jenika to school this morning. He spent a few hours at Roxy's this afternoon with Angel and Sayily. (yes they are back!) Then in the garden garage again this afternoon. But school work?? Does he not do it?! Does he catch up later!?
I had lunch with Javon today and took his class a birthday treat. We sang happy birthday to him as he beamed...:) While there I had a talk with Linville Hill. We are already there and already registered so it seemed only right to ask if they would take our sixth grader to finish his year there.
Jordan will be visiting there tomorrow and most likely he will finish sixth grade there. Prayers would be appreciated as this will not be an easy transition. He loves his friends and middle school at Linville looks scary sometimes. They have different teachers for different subjects. They have lockers. We were so close to home. He will miss the walk home as will I. I LOVE to see them coming on the walk home on sunny days!! Tears come but we feel that this is what is best for Jordan academically and for that this is worth it.
We are not walking away. Jenika is still there. She loves school very much. She loves her walk home with her girl cousins! We have no hard feelings against anyone! I know the school board is in a really tough situation. I hope you can understand and not judge us. We all want what is best for our children and at times we have to take leaps that we are not comfortable with. I don't know the outcome of this. I know things like this can tramatize a child. Jordan helped make this discision so we are not forcing him by any means. He is friendly, loveable and I know he will adjust just fine. I'm proud of him for being humble about it. He knows the classroom is on his side and this helps but he has not showed any negative emotion over any of this.
Jordan has no excuse for being disrespectful and disobedient. We are so sorry this had to come to this. We love Fairhaven and all the patrons but since we already have a foot inside at Linville it will most likely be our new school and we will adjust.
If I have learned anything in this situation it is this... Listen to my child with intention. Speak life. Give words of encouragement when they come home with school stories on there heart. Make it a goal to stop what I'm doing and really listen as they share there day with me! Jordan shares every school detail with me (often in the kitchen as we work) and I love this about him!! But because he does this everyday I guess I just started to shrug it off as a "Whatever" issue!!
Playing dead as a parent is not wise and will fix nothing. Today the action was taken and the choice was made not to play dead. Where we go from here we don't know. Our story is not over. God has a purpose in this and we are praying for everyone involved!
I LOVE THIS...
Have a Blessed day!! The sun was shining this morning!!! We were thrilled to see it!!
We support you. Hope you do well in changing to linville jordan.we love you
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