(For newbies especially. Please pass this on to new teachers.)

I filled in for a young teacher’s aide today while she got lunch, working in a classroom with four special education students. The classroom was notorious. Another sub had already warned me not to take any postings in that room. A nearby teacher said, “it’s always chaos in there.”

Out of four kids, all about five years old, two spent most of the first half of that lunch screaming, running, and throwing and kicking things nonstop, breaking a piece of pottery as part of the performance. I’d will say their teacher was trying her hardest. But she had two, tiny “Freddies” who fed off each other. She finally had to call for reinforcements.

I could make many observations here. I’ll stick to a short one: I volunteered to call home for her since she did not speak Spanish. I will do this if she asks me tomorrow. But that call home worries me. Yes, someone ought to discuss this behavior with parents. Both of these kids are teetering on the brink of being put in a special school. But if I call home, there’s a chance I’ll get one or both of these kids walloped. Something made those kids the way they are. Something or someone made them want to scream and keep screaming.

That someone might be sitting at home with them right now. And they are little boys. I’ve changed my mind on that phone call.  I will pass this one to the social worker instead. Or I will suggest that teacher talk to the social worker. I’m sure she has already talked to the social worker repeatedly, but this special education teacher appears to be drowning, so I will try to help her — before the school has to find a third teacher for that classroom in one year. That teacher has a worrisome deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes, a help-me-help-me look that pulled me into this drama within five minutes.

Eduhonesty: Are you a new teacher? If so, depending on your background, I may have a warning for you. Those books and articles about not spanking kids? Those books and articles are read by readers. Not all your students’ parents will be readers. In some cultures, spanking remains commonplace. When you decide to make that phone call home, the person on the other end of the line may have a very different value system than your own. I recommend waiting until you are not feeling too frustrated with your student. Be sure to add a few good points about the student as part of any conversation.

And when a kid seems off-the-charts messed up, I always try to keep in mind that his or her parents may be part of the problem.