So, this day had started out like any other day at school. My first class came and went. The students who are always on task and behaving appropriately didn't disappoint, nor did the repeat offenders of being a-holes. All in all it was a pretty normal day. My second class came in and sat down, with the exception of one student. I shall call him Arthur. Arthur has an exceptionality called Autism Spectrum Disorder, which can mean many different things. The only thing you really need to know is that he takes every word you say VERY literally, he hates loud noises, he is extremely intelligent, and he hates to write with a fiery passion of one thousand suns. So, we have a writing exercise to complete about a story we just read for our "do now" activity. Arthur decides he is going to just start speaking nonsense to my co-teacher in hopes of getting out of this exercise. She tells me that he is acting really strange and asks me to talk to him. Well, unfortunately for Arthur, I happen to have the patience of God himself, so I take him out of the room and find a nice quiet room for us to work in together. My co-teacher stays in the room with the rest of the kids to finish up.
While walking down the hall with dear Arthur, I start to talk to him about the story we read earlier in the week to refresh his memory for the writing exercise. Arthur continues to speak nonsense and I decide just to go with it until we get to the other room. Finally, we get to the room and the morning announcements come on. So, for our morning announcements, the principal has the kids yell out affirming statements every morning. The announcements begin by the secretary saying, "I am respectful," and the kids all repeat after her in the classroom. She goes on through a list of statements; "I am hard working, I am safe, I am responsible." Arthur looks at me for approval to yell out the affirming statements since we are the only ones in the room and I nod my head in approval. Arthur starts out really strongly: "I am hard working." I look at him and smile thinking to myself, "this is just the cutest thing." Then he decides to take the wheel and starts saying things like, "I like PIZZA! I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it (complete with dance moves)!!" At this point, I'm not sure what's going on anymore because Arthur NEVER behaves this way. It wasn't that I thought he was being bad, but he isn't one to stray from the rules or routines. Ever. So, he starts to get a little louder and I'm trying to calm him down. Not happening. Arthur has broken out into what seems to be full on delirium and he doesn't see me, hear me, or care about anything that I have to say to him to get him to calm down. He is ready to party.
So, I try at first to gently tell him he needs to calm down now and we need to get back to work. He responds with "No, I'm being silly. I like to be silly. I like to move it, move it." So I say, "Arthur, we need to get to work now, I need you to get focused."
Arthur: (with a crazed look in his eyes) No, I'm having fun!
Me: Come one now, we have to get this done so we can go back to class.
Arthur: *shakes head, no*
Me: Arthur, I'm starting to get worried about you. Do I need to call your mom and tell her you aren't taking school seriously? (This works EVERY time with him....except for today)
Arthur: (now looks like Jack Nicholson) Yeah, do it!!
Me: Really?
Arthur: YEAH!!!
Me: (Not wanting to go through with my threat) Ok......I'll be right back
I walk out of the office, looking for my supervisor so I can ask her what the hell I'm supposed to do with him now. I tell her about how he is acting very strangely and that I told him I would have to call his mom. She paused for a minute, and said "He's in the room crying, isn't he." I shake my head and tell her that he was fine when I left the room, which is why I was so puzzled. Seconds later, Arthur can be heard crying from 3 miles away. I run back to the room to find him under the table crying and screaming. I calm him down eventually and tell him that I won't call his mom if he can get it together and get serious. He agrees and then shows me a picture he drew of himself crying and arrows pointing to him. There is a word bubble in the picture that says "I'm sorry." Of course, now I feel like a total douche bag for making him cry and we start walking back to class like nothing happened.
And that is the story of how Arthur likes to move it, move it.
While walking down the hall with dear Arthur, I start to talk to him about the story we read earlier in the week to refresh his memory for the writing exercise. Arthur continues to speak nonsense and I decide just to go with it until we get to the other room. Finally, we get to the room and the morning announcements come on. So, for our morning announcements, the principal has the kids yell out affirming statements every morning. The announcements begin by the secretary saying, "I am respectful," and the kids all repeat after her in the classroom. She goes on through a list of statements; "I am hard working, I am safe, I am responsible." Arthur looks at me for approval to yell out the affirming statements since we are the only ones in the room and I nod my head in approval. Arthur starts out really strongly: "I am hard working." I look at him and smile thinking to myself, "this is just the cutest thing." Then he decides to take the wheel and starts saying things like, "I like PIZZA! I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it (complete with dance moves)!!" At this point, I'm not sure what's going on anymore because Arthur NEVER behaves this way. It wasn't that I thought he was being bad, but he isn't one to stray from the rules or routines. Ever. So, he starts to get a little louder and I'm trying to calm him down. Not happening. Arthur has broken out into what seems to be full on delirium and he doesn't see me, hear me, or care about anything that I have to say to him to get him to calm down. He is ready to party.
So, I try at first to gently tell him he needs to calm down now and we need to get back to work. He responds with "No, I'm being silly. I like to be silly. I like to move it, move it." So I say, "Arthur, we need to get to work now, I need you to get focused."
Arthur: (with a crazed look in his eyes) No, I'm having fun!
Me: Come one now, we have to get this done so we can go back to class.
Arthur: *shakes head, no*
Me: Arthur, I'm starting to get worried about you. Do I need to call your mom and tell her you aren't taking school seriously? (This works EVERY time with him....except for today)
Arthur: (now looks like Jack Nicholson) Yeah, do it!!
Me: Really?
Arthur: YEAH!!!
Me: (Not wanting to go through with my threat) Ok......I'll be right back
I walk out of the office, looking for my supervisor so I can ask her what the hell I'm supposed to do with him now. I tell her about how he is acting very strangely and that I told him I would have to call his mom. She paused for a minute, and said "He's in the room crying, isn't he." I shake my head and tell her that he was fine when I left the room, which is why I was so puzzled. Seconds later, Arthur can be heard crying from 3 miles away. I run back to the room to find him under the table crying and screaming. I calm him down eventually and tell him that I won't call his mom if he can get it together and get serious. He agrees and then shows me a picture he drew of himself crying and arrows pointing to him. There is a word bubble in the picture that says "I'm sorry." Of course, now I feel like a total douche bag for making him cry and we start walking back to class like nothing happened.
And that is the story of how Arthur likes to move it, move it.