Candy encouragement? 4/25

I was determined to have an awesome day today! Before I went to the PLC, I went to the gas station across the street and got a lollipop for Tangela and I! I thought if I started us off on a good note, we would surely have a great day! When I got to Mr. Piazza's class the class was doing Conflict Management again. Today, they were continuing the discussion on the way they react to conflict and the counselor said the way to change behavior is first to recognize it, so they were going to choose an animal that was most like them. The options were a gorilla which was overpowering and aggressive, a turtle which was withdrawing and hiding, etc. The counselor went around the room asking each student, and when she got to Tangela, she said that she wasn't an animal and wasn't going to choose one. The counselor kept her cool and just moved onto the next student. I chose and animal to try and convince Tangela to do the same, but failed. We then got into groups with the other students in the class who identified with our same animal. I worked with a group of 3 students: Boo, Tay, and Derek. We worked well together, and it was nice working with some different students. Tangela seemed almost annoyed/ jealous that I was working and laughing with other students. She once again refused to fill out the small 3 question assignment at the end for the counselor, and when she walked to her seat said to me with attitude, "are you going to come help me, or just sit there and talk to them?" I told her that I was wrapping up with my group and would be over in a minute. When I sat down and gave her the lollipop she softened. THANK HEAVENS. :) We worked on some lessons and did homework assignments. I noticed that some strategies I have given Tangela over the course of the year she has begun implementing on her own while she is answering homework questions. I was very excited to see this. When we were finishing up Tangela told me why she had been in a bad mood at the beginning of class, and it was because she found out that she had failed all of her graduation tests. :( She said she did not want to talk about it, but that she was taking her EOCTs in a week or so and if she passes those they will exempt her from the GHSGT's. I told her that I wouldn't be able to help her much because my final schedule was crazy with papers, tests, and projects, but that I could come Friday and help her with any class, as long as she needed me because I didn't have class. She then proceeded to tell me no because she was skipping school on Friday. I was absolutely shocked. I felt like it was necessary for her to be in school to prepare for her EOCT's and she had also mentioned she was failing math with a 61. I tried to beg her to come on Friday and that I thought it would be a good decision to come to school. She said she was skipping because it was Clarke Central's senior skip day and that she had already cleared it with her mom. I continued trying to change her mind and finally as I was saying bye to her and she finally said okay that she would come!!!! I was ECSTATIC! I told her that I would see her in two days and that would be our time to say our goodbyes, but we would get a lot of work done too! I told her I would text her Thursday and see what time I should come, for what classes, etc. I left my happy place with a happy feeling. :)