Not the Average Student

Walking towards the school to be observed, in a cloudy autumn morning, the trainee teacher’s hands trembled. Outside the classroom, the great number of crumpled paper balls on the floor immediately caught her attention. From a tiny door window, she caught sight of her assigned group, thirty-four students seated in ordinary rows. Her eyes were especially attracted to a boy whose height and build didn’t seem to fit in a group of primary students. She was invited to sit down at the back of the classroom, and she couldn’t avoid looking at Facundo. He shouted as the teacher in charge of the group presented animals vocabulary and asked the children to repeat their names. Miss Garreto continued her lesson working with the rest of the group despite the boy crawling on the floor. Facundo was the one in charge of skillfully spitting up paper balls to the teacher while she continued the drilling. He slammed the door and ran away from the classroom after turning off the light and Miss Garreto affirmed “he’ll come back”. When the lesson was over, Facu did come back. While the other students were outside enjoying break-time, Facu remained alone in the classroom looking at the window. Miss Garreto approached the trainee teacher with a smile upon her face and whispered  “It’s a pity you have been given such a group”, and added  “Don’t worry about Facu, just don’t pay attention to him”.

This Vignette was written with the aid of my colleague: Valcheff Laura.