Poor Dan

“It’s going to catch up with you, Dan.”


There once was a boy named Dan, who did not understand the importance of a good education. He hated to read and write. He didn’t care to learn or use good grammar.
“I don’t come to school to learn nothing no way”, he would say, “I come to hang out and have fun. Shoot, nobody cares if I do good or not. I don’t do no work, play around, and I still pass, so that is that.” This was an unfortunate truth. Dan learned that if he was a real big pest to his teachers, they would pass him just so he wouldn’t be in their class the next year. At least, that was how it seemed to Dan.
So Dan did little work. He pestered his classmates and disrupted the class, got written up, was sent to the office, punished with in-school suspension, or was sent home for a few days. After his punishment, Dan would return to class and continue acting silly and disruptive. When all was said and done, Dan would pass at the end of every year. No one ever challenged his passing to the next grade until he entered Seventh grade.
Dan’s Language Arts teacher, Ms. Williams, didn’t understand how he made it to the seventh grade. She reviewed his files and saw that his state scores were very low. Nevertheless, she knew what it was going to take for her students to succeed in her class and that he was going to have to get the skills also. The first day of school, she stated the rules and made it very clear what would be expected of her students in her class. The students knew they would have to work hard, develop their skills and that their behavior was an important part of the learning process.
During the first week of school, the class practiced the routines for accomplishing activities in class, in the halls, and around the school building. Everyone knew what was expected of them.
Of course, Dan did not care about Ms. Williams’ rules and routines. He was going to have his fun. “She is going to be a push over just like all the rest. I just have to frustrate her like I did them and she gone pass me too.” Dan thought.
He didn’t listen to his teachers and carried on with his behavior. He came to class everyday and played. Ms. Williams would model the skill for the day, give the assignment, and all the other students would begin working. Dan would throw paper and aggravate his classmates.
“Dan, you can’t keep playing in class. Leave your classmates alone and do your work.” Ms. Williams would encourage. Dan would continue to play. “Dan if you don’t get to work you will not get the skills you need to succeed and to pass to the next grade.” She warned.
“Oh, I’m gone pass!” Dan would snap back. Dan ignored the warnings and played. He would get in trouble in his other classes and the teachers would write him up. Ms. Williams finally had to write Dan up because he hit one of his classmates. She called his parents and set up a conference.
“Mr. and Mrs. Horton, thank you for coming in. I called you in because of Dan’s behavior, but you also need to know about his academics. Dan has not been scoring very high on tests and does not do his class assignments. His performance in reading, grammar and spelling are on a third grade level. Dan seems to feel that he does not have to do his assignments. I believe that is why he has so much time to be mischievous.”
There was a look of shock on Dan’s parent’s face. “I just don’t understand why he is doing so poorly.” His mother stated, “He usually makes a passing grade each year.”
“I am sorry to tell you, but as of right now, Dan is failing. If he doesn’t begin to do his work, he will fail.” Ms. Williams stated plainly.
“Well, what can I do to help him?” His mother asked.
“We have got to help Dan to realize the importance of education. He needs to make a choice to change his behavior and approach to his work.” Ms. Williams explained. “As the adults in his life, we have to let him know that we will not tolerate his misbehaviors anymore.”
“I’m going to get on him and make him do his work.” His mother promised.
Dan didn’t change. He actually became worse. At the end of the first nine weeks, Dan was shocked when he received his first “Fs”. He just shook it off along with the warnings from his parents and teachers. As each grading period passed, he received a failing grade. He showed no concerned. He was confident that he would pass in the end. Just like every other year, he believed that his grades would be changed at the end of the year.
The year ended and Dan failed seventh grade Language Arts, Math, and Science.
“How can this be?” Dan asked Ms. Williams one day after school. “I always get “Ds”. That is why I can misbehave and not do my work, cause I know I will get passed.”
“Reality is hard to face, Dan, but you can’t go through life thinking you will get a free ride. You have to do the work to get the grade.” Ms. Williams replied.
“I know, but I don’t know what to do. I don’t know that stuff you trying to make me do.”
“Why is that?”
“Cause I just didn’t learn it.”
“Why?” Ms Williams continued to ask.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. It is a real simple answer.”
Dan thought for a minute, “Cause I played and did not pay attention.”
“Exactly!” Ms. Williams smiled. “You can learn what you need to know to be a success in school. You just have to make the choice to do the work.”
“O.K. But I know I need a lot of help.” Dan finally admitted.
“I am glad that you finally see that you need help. It is not going to be easy but I know you can get on track.” Ms. Williams replied. “I will be here for you and will help you as much as I can but first you must help yourself.”
Dan left school that day angry at himself. He couldn’t believe he was going to be in the seventh grade another year. He realized that he failed himself.




Dan decided that he was going to do whatever he needed do to pass and to learn what he didn’t know because he played in class. “Ms. Williams, What should I do now? I am so far behind. What can I do to make sure I will pass next year?” He questioned one day as the school year ended.
“It wouldn’t hurt if you would get a tutor over the summer. They would be able to help you pick up your skills.” Ms. Williams suggested. “When you come back to school next year, maybe we will be able to work a little extra and continue to try and get you where you should be academically. I am glad to see that you are ready to change.”
And change he did. He asked his parents to help him by putting him in a tutoring program over the summer. The surprised, yet happy parents did just that. He began to read more at home and to work on the material given to him by the tutor.
Summer ended and the next year of school began. Dan was back in Ms. Williams’ class. “This year is going to be different. I am going to behave and do my work. I got to be in school so I can learn to do more better.” Dan declared.
“I am glad to hear it.” Ms. Williams exclaimed. “It will be hard but I know you can do better.”
Dan worked diligently to learn each skill. He stayed after school and worked with his teachers. He also studied at night when he got home. He didn’t have time to misbehave.
This time when report cards came out each grading period, he would get “Cs” and “Bs”. His behavior had changed and he was not written up as often. He was able to stay in school most days. He finished that year with skills on a sixth grade level. Dan finally made the changes needed to pass to the eighth grade.

Success in a child
depends on a desire,
a sense of importance,
and the encouragement
and guidance
of those with an influence in their lives.