"We Don't Say Those Words In Class"

One day in class I remember I had gotten a new student and this child was very developmentally delayed when it came to his speech. That did not stop this kid he talked all the time. Well one of the students who lives by him always messes with him and thus particular day I here’d the other student say out loud, “Why do you talk like that, I cannot understand what you are saying.” I had to stop the boys from arguing because the other student also studiers. At that time I had the students sit on the floor and we talked about why we don’t talk about other people and I also read a book about differences.   

What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult’s response. In my response I wanted the students to understand that we don’t make fun of other people just because they are different and I really think the students got it because on another incident that same student was messing with the same kid who had a speech problem and another student told him that Mrs. Johnson said, “It’s not nice to make fun of Bryan because he is different.” I thought that was so sweet of a student to defend another student because he was different and a that point I did not have to step in because nothing else was said and Bryan continued talking as usual.

Sometimes when you think children don't understand what you are talking about  they will surprise you and because I stopped and talked to the children about talking about other students and people in general I was able to here what they had to say and also read and show pictures about how we treat people no matter what.