Yesterday, last lesson, I kept a Fiery Kid behind. He had failed to show up to a detention before we went on break (I hadn't even had him picked up - how was he supposed to remember?) and I had not only remembered this fact, but remembered it at the end of our lesson, which was the last lesson of the day. And I said he would have to stay for 10 minutes to do the homework he had failed to do in the first place (yes, we don't set much homework. School policy).
Fiery Kid told me he couldn't stay. I told him that school policy is that the day ends 15 minutes after the last lesson (even the school coaches don't go til then) so we can keep kids for that time. He began to get really angry, and I failed to take this seriously. He was playing to an audience, shouting 'Am I talking in another language or something? Everyone else gets it - I'm going! Why can't you understand? Are you stupid as well as ugly?' Then he said it was 'f***ing ridiculous', and on discovering that he could swear without the sky falling down, proceeded to run around the room swearing, before running out.
Today he was suspended internally all morning (sat in the back of my head of department's room) and was brought through at lunchtime to speak to me. He looked like a different kid. He mumbled at me, agreed promptly when my HoD told him he had been out of line, and did his homework with me before leaving. He didn't seem embarrassed, so much as crushed and worn out from arguing. We didn't have any real dialogue and, whilst I'm sure he'll behave himself tomorrow, it seems weirdly unsatisfactory.
We were discussing what students would ideally be like when they leave our school in inset tonight, and the verbs were strong: ambitious, confident, independent, daring. We don't seem to be encouraging these qualities in Fiery Kid. We seem to be crushing them. Could there be another option?
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