Bend that tree!

Raylon has been at my school since kindergarten and has always been the most defiant kid in his class--EVERY YEAR--kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. I have taught him Drama during that time and we have butted heads on several occasions. I always try to approach him in a positive manner. We have had conferences with his mom a couple of times. When I say "we" I mean several teachers and an administrator in a room with his mom and we discuss what's going on. He is not defiant at home so his mom is at a loss.

Today he came to Drama for the first time as a third grader and was up to his same antics. After class I asked his teacher if I could keep him for a little while to talk to him. I took him out to the front of the school where some trees were standing. There were some little ones that had just been planted and some giant ones that had been there forever. I asked him to go up to a little tree and try to bend one of the branches. He did it easily. I asked him to try to bend one of the branches on the giant tree. Of course he couldn't do it. Then I broke one of the branches off the little tree and beat the cra--no, no--just kidding--I talked to him about how you can get a tree to grow a certain direction when it's young but it's impossible to change the tree when it's old. I told him that it's hard to break habits once you are old and how he is young like the little tree and if he wants to change his behavior the time is NOW.

There was a crack in the side of the building. I asked him, "What if one of the branches grew into that crack. What would the tree do to the building when it grows big and strong?" He said it would knock down the building. I asked him, "What would the city have to do to the tree?" He said they would have to cut it down. I then told him, "It's the same with people. If an adult is acting bad, the law has to cut them down and put them in jail!"

We will see if this ten minute conversation has an impact on his school year. I know that his teacher this year is awesome and she will work his tail off. I know that every time I see him I am gonna ask him, "How are your branches growing?" However, if he doesn't shape up, I may have to take him back out to the little tree and break off a little something special for his backside!

Disclaimer: I would never beat one of my students. I would wait until they graduated.