She'd been asleep in class all week while I worked with other students. Today, she slumped over her desk again, head buried in her hoodie sleeves, her manicured and sculpted nails peeking from the cuffs, relaxing on the paper she was supposed to complete for the DO-NOW.
I sat down and explained that I would be her partner today. Bubbly. Open. She raised her head and looked at me. "Let's start with this part; we're suppposed to..."
And she put her head back down.
"I'm here to help. Do you need x, y, or z? What about bananas? Oranges? A new car?" I didn't really say those things, but I went through all the academic ideas and suggestions, some social emotional stuff.
She didn't need anything. Gave me disgust and her annoyance.
I switched from bubbly and open to serious and hard. "Why are you here? Is someone making you? Should we call them and discuss what's going on? Because, at this point, this is a discipline issue and not an academic issue.
"No," she replied. I'm sure you can fill in the tone. "If I do the work, will you just leave me alone?"
"Absolutely!" I rose immediately and left as she angrily typed her essay.
The next day, she came 30 minutes late, spent 20 minutes in the bathroom, and did nothing. Was it an improvement that she was awake?
On the day of the exam, she slept. After 40 minutes, she turned in her exam.
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