I Made a Little Girl Cry Yesterday

So, yesterday was our first day teaching our primary class. Our newly assigned calling is to teach the 5 and 6 year olds. I had to do it alone since Chase was still sick and also Emery still sick (see previous post). Anyway, I went in to sit with my class and was completely shocked by what was taking place. The primary was in complete chaos as the poor primary chorister was trying to maintain reverence (which was nonexistent). It was completely unorganized and undisciplined as the primary presidency seemed to go in and out (mostly out). Also very few of the other teachers were attempting to reign in any of the kids. As the teacher in front of me was missing I ended up trying to control my class as well as that one. Boys were putting kids in head locks and kids were punching, hitting, and kicking. Kids were getting out of their seats running around going off to the bathroom (playing in the bathroom), laughing and shouting. It was just a complete shock, especially coming from the primary we had just left in Lehi, which we miss very much. To all those in the Lehi 18th Ward Primary, you are angels and are sorely missed!

Well, so when the other teacher finally came I had 4 of my kids to deal with. Two were angels and two were, well at the other end of the spectrum. I sat between them only to have the one girl tell me more than once, "You're not the boss of me!", and then take off to do who knows what. Her mother was in the primary presidency and didn't seem to care whether she came or went. Well, since she took off the other little "angel" decided she had to get a drink. I told her she could wait. Well, then she needed to go to the bathroom. I said she could wait. "But I need to go really, really bad!". I said, "You can wait.". Well, after the song was over, I told her she could go, but to be reverent and be quick. 10 min. goes by and both girls are M.I.A. So, I go out in the hallway and tell the primary president (who is chatting it up while the primary is meltdown) that I have 2 missing girls who never came back from the bathroom and asked where the bathroom was. So, I follow her to the bathroom and low and behold there is a party going on in there with giggling girls in the stalls. That didn't surprise me what did surprise me was the other member of the primary presidency in there supervising the whole thing. I told her that 2 of the girls I was looking for and that they hadn't come back. She's like, "Oh, they're almost done." So, what can I do? I go back to the rest of my class. 10 more min. later they finally return. I have to seperate them again while we try to learn the song the poor chorister is trying to teach us over the dull roar of wild kids.

We finally get dismissed for class and end up in our class room. I introduce myself and we talk a little and begin the lesson. Well, this lesson was one of the shortest I have ever given and was a little worried about having too much time left. I had no reason to fear, because it took every ounce of effort just to get through anything with my 2 little "angels". They were unbelievable, and I have seen a lot of hard kids in my time. They would not shut up and I actually wondered if someone had slipped them a Red Bull before primary. They could not sit still for anything and could not stop touching eachother. I seperated them, stopped the lesson sitting in silence waiting for them to calm down, took away the privilege to play a game(worked for one girl), threatened to call in their parents next time (they looked worried... briefly).

One girl kept sticking her gum to different parts of her body. I finally went over, held my hand out in front of her and told her to spit it out. She said no and clamped her mouth shut. I told her to spit it out or her mother would be notified that she would not be allowed to have gum in my class (this is the girl whose mom is in the primary presidency). She finally said she wanted to spit it out herself and pretended to throw it away, until I made her do it for real.

The other girl decided she needed a drink again. I proceeded to tell her that she would not be getting a drink because she lost that privilege when they went to the bathroom and were fooling around and took too long. She immediately burst into tears and put her coat on her head and bawled for 10 min. I ignored her and went on with the lesson. The other girl looked at her and then turned to me and said, "You made Charity sad!". I told her that in fact I did not make Charity sad, but that Charity had chosen to be sad and that sometimes the choices you make have consequences. Miraculously, the second girl seemed to agree and actually was a little better for oh, maybe 2 min.

Well, we ended up having to go to the chapel for closing exercises which we were late for because I didn't have a watch or a clock and they didn't knock on the door because I was told they weren't good at doing that. Our class ended up being in charge of the talk, prayers, scriptures, and theme, which I was also unaware of. So, we marched up to the stand, sitting next to one of the bishopbric. I thought, for sure they'll behave now, but no! Not even with the bishopbric telling them to knock it off and the other's mother sitting right there. I finally picked up the one girl and put her on my lap, she finally shut up. Apparently, her mother was also a primary teacher and was sitting down with the other kids. I have never been so thankful for my own kids and for how good they really are! I am also thankful for our old primary, we loved it there and had such good experiences. I hope that the next time we teach goes better, that is if they haven't released me for making the kids cry or sit on my lap. I hopefully will also have Chase there to tag team with me and thump a few heads.