Primary Protection II
Teachers POV
That poor kid. I think I should go and talk to her. Bullying should not be tolerated. But what about my class? I can't run out of the classroom and abandon them. Especially on my first day..Hmm..I walked into the next class and said to the teacher;
"Sorry to interrupt, Sir, But would you mind keeping and eye on my class? I need to fetch something from my car."
"Of course" He replied. I made my quick exit, and onto the playground. I walked briskly towards the lump at the edge of the playground, but slowed down as I closed the last 20 metres or so. She glanced up fearfully as I came towards her, and retreated more into a ball. I came and sat down next to her. She kept edging further and further away from me. I kept thinking about what to say, without upsetting her further. I must have lost track of time, as before I could say anything, Mr Biggins was making his way across the playground.
"What's going on here then?"
"I was just checking if she way okay" I replied, standing up.
"Well leave her be, if she doesn't want to come in and learn, Just leave her here."
"But-"
"Come on now, I do believe you have a class to teach. Also, Miss Tyled this is not how I like it at my school. But as it is your first day, I'll let you off. Just this once"
*
I was sat in the staff room, a few days later. There was a group of us teachers in there, all of us marking our class' work. Some teachers prefer to take their class' work home. But not me. I like to keep the two worlds parted. School is School. Home is Home. I came across Rikki's work. Well, the little amount of it. It was in a yellow exercise book. She had written about four lines, in spidery smudged pencil reading;
"Princess Vicky lived in a big howse. Her mum and dad luvved her lots and lots and lots. She dad lots of monee and cloths. Her mum and dad never showted at her. She had a hors and a dog"
I flicked back a couple of pages, reading the rest of her work. It followed the same theme as the one she had written today. About a princess and a loving family. At the bottom of the page, in red Biro read; "Good. Correct spelling mistake. Use a different storyline next time, also try to finish."
"Hello. Ellie? Hello-o?" A voice said, breaking my concentration.
"Wah-Oh-Yes?" I replied.
"Come on, an 8-year-olds work can't be that good. Who have you got?" The other teacher, Miss Watson asked.
"Rikki, uh, Chadwick"
With that the rest of the room fell silent, and looked at me.
"What so special about her?" I enquired.
"Oh nothing. She's just a strange child. Father never turns up to parents evening..Always writes about a princess called Vicky..."
"Hmmm" I replied..