supportive for a long time, and all I ever hear about is what I need to do with Joey,” said Joey’s mother. “What else do you want me to do? I’m not here when he blows up! I just come get him after he’s been suspended.”
“Maybe you can tell us what you think would work,” said Mrs. Galvin.
“I don’t know what will work!” said Ms. Lowell. “Look, Joey’s no angel at home, either. He has his moments, believe me. And he’s had more than his share of punishment. It just doesn’t seem to affect him like it affects his brother. He’s different that way. So I don’t know what will work. I just know what you’ve been doing isn’t working. If it was working we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“I hate to ask personal questions, but is Joey still angry about your divorce?” asked Mrs. Galvin. “Is that what this is really about?”
Ms. Lowell responded tersely, uncertain if she’d be able to contain herself. “Joey had trouble with his anger before the divorce. His anger is no better or worse now than it was before the divorce.”
“Is he looking for attention? Is it because he doesn’t see his father as much anymore?” pressed Mrs. Galvin.
“He sees his father plenty,” said Ms. Lowell. “And he did not do what he did the other day for attention! Hurting Mr. Middleton is not the kind of attention he’s looking for! Being suspended from school isn’t, either!”
“So what do you think it is? Why does he get so angry?” asked Mr. Middleton.
“I wish I knew,” said Ms. Lowell.
Suddenly the door to the meeting room flew open and Dr. Bridgmanbarged in. “Sorry I’m late,” he said as he sat down, a little out of breath. “I had another meeting run long.”
“We were just discussing what might be causing Joey to feel so angry,” said Mrs. Galvin, looking up from her watch. “We were wondering if it’s related to his parents’ divorce.”
Dr. Bridgman was trying to find Joey’s file in his briefcase. “Oh, I don’t think that’s it at all.”
Mrs. Galvin appeared surprised by this statement. “Well, what do you think is causing him to be so angry?”
“I don’t know that I’d call him angry,” said Dr. Bridgman. “I did have a chance to meet with Joey and his mom a few days ago, so I was able to gather some information about the factors that set the stage for Joey to get upset.” He looked at Mrs. Woods. “But it would be very helpful if I could spend a little while talking with you as well, just to get a sense for what Joey looks like in the classroom.”
“That would be fine,” said Mrs. Woods.
“What kind of hypotheses do you have?” asked Mrs. Galvin, trying to hide her skepticism.
“Well, only some very tentative ones so far,” said Dr. Bridgman. “But I’ve heard that Joey is easily embarrassed in front of his classmates. Do you see that, too, Mrs. Woods?”
“Well, I … I guess so. I mean, that’s what I’m hearing,” said Mrs. Woods.
“And does he often appear confused about what to do on assignments?” asked Dr. Bridgman.
Mrs. Woods nodded. “Yes, that happens quite often.”
“This is all very interesting,” said Mrs. Galvin, “but how exactly is this information going to help us make sure that Joey doesn’t blow up again?”
“This information will help us understand why and when Joey blows up,” said Dr. Bridgman.
“Well, regardless of why and when he blows up, hopefully Joey has learned his lesson about what happens when he acts that way,” said the principal. “Maybe he’ll think twice before he does it again.”
“Actually, why and when Joey acts that way is really important,” said Dr. Bridgman. “See, I don’t think he wanted to act that way. I think he doesn’t have the skills to keep himself from acting that way … especially when he’s frustrated or embarrassed.”
Ms. Lowell couldn’t tell if the ensuing silence was related to Dr. Bridgman’scontradiction of the principal or whether everyone
“Maybe you can tell us what you think would work,” said Mrs. Galvin.
“I don’t know what will work!” said Ms. Lowell. “Look, Joey’s no angel at home, either. He has his moments, believe me. And he’s had more than his share of punishment. It just doesn’t seem to affect him like it affects his brother. He’s different that way. So I don’t know what will work. I just know what you’ve been doing isn’t working. If it was working we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“I hate to ask personal questions, but is Joey still angry about your divorce?” asked Mrs. Galvin. “Is that what this is really about?”
Ms. Lowell responded tersely, uncertain if she’d be able to contain herself. “Joey had trouble with his anger before the divorce. His anger is no better or worse now than it was before the divorce.”
“Is he looking for attention? Is it because he doesn’t see his father as much anymore?” pressed Mrs. Galvin.
“He sees his father plenty,” said Ms. Lowell. “And he did not do what he did the other day for attention! Hurting Mr. Middleton is not the kind of attention he’s looking for! Being suspended from school isn’t, either!”
“So what do you think it is? Why does he get so angry?” asked Mr. Middleton.
“I wish I knew,” said Ms. Lowell.
Suddenly the door to the meeting room flew open and Dr. Bridgmanbarged in. “Sorry I’m late,” he said as he sat down, a little out of breath. “I had another meeting run long.”
“We were just discussing what might be causing Joey to feel so angry,” said Mrs. Galvin, looking up from her watch. “We were wondering if it’s related to his parents’ divorce.”
Dr. Bridgman was trying to find Joey’s file in his briefcase. “Oh, I don’t think that’s it at all.”
Mrs. Galvin appeared surprised by this statement. “Well, what do you think is causing him to be so angry?”
“I don’t know that I’d call him angry,” said Dr. Bridgman. “I did have a chance to meet with Joey and his mom a few days ago, so I was able to gather some information about the factors that set the stage for Joey to get upset.” He looked at Mrs. Woods. “But it would be very helpful if I could spend a little while talking with you as well, just to get a sense for what Joey looks like in the classroom.”
“That would be fine,” said Mrs. Woods.
“What kind of hypotheses do you have?” asked Mrs. Galvin, trying to hide her skepticism.
“Well, only some very tentative ones so far,” said Dr. Bridgman. “But I’ve heard that Joey is easily embarrassed in front of his classmates. Do you see that, too, Mrs. Woods?”
“Well, I … I guess so. I mean, that’s what I’m hearing,” said Mrs. Woods.
“And does he often appear confused about what to do on assignments?” asked Dr. Bridgman.
Mrs. Woods nodded. “Yes, that happens quite often.”
“This is all very interesting,” said Mrs. Galvin, “but how exactly is this information going to help us make sure that Joey doesn’t blow up again?”
“This information will help us understand why and when Joey blows up,” said Dr. Bridgman.
“Well, regardless of why and when he blows up, hopefully Joey has learned his lesson about what happens when he acts that way,” said the principal. “Maybe he’ll think twice before he does it again.”
“Actually, why and when Joey acts that way is really important,” said Dr. Bridgman. “See, I don’t think he wanted to act that way. I think he doesn’t have the skills to keep himself from acting that way … especially when he’s frustrated or embarrassed.”
Ms. Lowell couldn’t tell if the ensuing silence was related to Dr. Bridgman’scontradiction of the principal or whether everyone
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