This does not seem to be my week for seeing the softer, kinder side of humanity. I went to pick S up from an after-school party-- he had been playing with a classmate and mentioned that the boy was looking for his mother. Just to be on the safe side we went back and found him-- when he saw me he burst into tears. This huge, independant 7 year old suddenly melted down into a frightened little mess.
I gave him a hug and promised him that we would stay with him and help him find his mom. We walked around for a while but didn't see her, so I decided that the best thing to do would be to take him back to his classroom. Surely the teacher would know what to do.
But when I asked her if she had seen this kid's mother she flew into a rage and started shouting at him! YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO! FRAU V IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BABYSITTING YOU! YOU GO WAIT RIGHT THERE ON THOSE STEPS-- I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOUR MOTHER IS BUT YOU KNOW EVERY BUSH AND CORNER IN THIS VILLAGE!
I just stood there with my mouth open while S, B and the lost boy stared at her with huge eyes. When I tried to explain that I wasn't babysitting him, but was trying to help him and that he was scared she just said bluntly: "He knows exactly what he's supposed to do!" and walked away.
At which point he burst into tears again!
I distracted him with questions about the party he'd just attended and we walked around a bit more and eventually found his mama.. She had apparently been told by the screaming teacher that she should pick her son up at 4-- a bit of information which might have been helpful to know when I had approached her earlier!
I'm still a little bit shellshocked by the whole thing. This woman is a teacher, for God's sake! Isn't she supposed to be compassionate with children? I have no insight into the nature of their relationship, but I can't think of a single situation in which that kind of behavior is appropriate for someone in her position.
She's obviously forgotten what it's like to be small and lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces...
4 comments:
Oh please tell me that this sort of behavior from a teacher in Germany is a-typical!!! How horribly COLD for any person who kids are supposed to revere and trust to act that way! And thank goodness for YOU and your kindness to him!
Carol
I solemnly swear that I will never never become like this teacher - no matter how many screaming kids, messy class rooms and suger-crazed and dazed kids I'll encounter along the path as a newbie school teacher - Betsy, this sounds like she might be rehearsing for a role as the mean teacher from.. Stuttgart???? character in the new Harry Potter movie. Can anyone fill me in on Rowling's knowledge on Stuttgart...
Carol: I've got to assume she's a-typical-- this just can't be acceptable behavior.
but I'm also hoping it was a-typical for her, because I can't stand the thought of her going off on S!
I think she might have been embarrassed about the whole thing because later she sought me out-- talked to me with a huge smile on her face the whole time. (Even S noticed it)
So maybe she'll be more careful with S than she normally would be? At least for a while... (fingers crossed)
Brit: somehow I can't picture you red-faced, sweaty and screaming. (I've just tried it and it made me giggle.)
You've spent a bit too much time with Sri Sri to morph into an evil Hogwarts teacher.
Drop me a note when you get a chance and let me know how your first week went!
Ahem...some German teachers definitely should have chosen a different profession. They're not *all* like that, of course, but many can be. It's like they have no control over their emotions and absolutely no empathy with the kids - if they're having a bad day, the kids will too. Great. And the smiling and pretending everythings is just hunky dory afterwards is also quite typical.
And yes, thank goodness you were there to counterbalance her aggressive behaviour.
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