“She always defends her son, no matter how naughty he is”

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A teacher tells Kek Mama what she is experiencing. This time: Juf Aafke (41) teaches Daan in group eight.

Friday morning, history lesson. I tell how Julius Caesar was killed by Brutus. No boring fabric. But hey: there I see Daan looking at his phone. Secretly, but I saw it anyway. I pay extra attention to him, because he is very contrary and often walks all over me. That’s not going to happen now, I decide.

“Here with that phone, Daan”, I say. He lies: “Why, I didn’t look at it at all.” “Yes,” I say sternly. “I also have eyes in my head.” Sulking, he comes to bring it. I put it in my bag. Then we continue with Caesar and Brutus.

Stolen phone

At the end of the day I call Daan to me. “I’ll give you back your phone, but be careful if you use it again in class.” Then he says triumphantly: “I already have it, teacher.” “Huh? What do you mean?” I say. I look in my bag. The phone is no longer there. I feel anger welling up in me.

“Did you take it out of my bag?” I ask. “Yes,” he says. “But Daan, then you have stolen”, I say. “Because what’s in my bag is mine. Your phone too, as long as I haven’t given it back to you. You must not touch the things in my bag.”

“What’s in my bag is mine”

I decide to make a case of it. “I’m going to give you criminal work and inform your parents,” I say. He suddenly looks less cheeky. His father, Jeroen, is very strict. “But teacher, isn’t the phone mine? Then I didn’t steal it, did I?” “Yes,” I say. “He wasn’t yours for a while. Because I confiscated it. You go home now, I’ll think.”

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Stubbornness

I think it would be wise to send Zane away before I inform his parents. The question is how his mother Marieke in particular reacts. Daan doesn’t get his stubbornness from a stranger. I often argue with Marieke. She always stands behind her son, no matter how naughty he is. That’s why I call Jeroen first, but I get his voicemail. Marieke will answer.

“I often argue with his mother”

I tell the story and sure enough, she says, “I think it’s bizarre. It’s his phone after all.” I reply: “He should never have looked in my bag. I’m going to give Daan punishment rules. I would like you or Jeroen to sign it. I hope you don’t tell him you disagree with me. Otherwise he will not understand that the school has authority over him and this is a good lesson for him from which he can learn a lot.”

It’s quiet for a while. I think Marieke will think about what Jeroen will think of this. Then, much to my delight, she reluctantly says, “Okay. I still find it exaggerated, but I will cooperate.”

A good lesson

As a punishment I come up with: “I will never take anything out of the teacher’s bag again.” And that thirty times. I receive the letter a day later, and it is not only signed by Marieke, but also by Jeroen! I think it’s Marieke’s fidelity that she involved him in it.

The effect becomes apparent that day. Tijke makes a cheeky remark to me: “Miss, what a strange dress you are wearing.” Then Daan says: “It is the teacher you are talking to, you know. And she rules over us.” I smile broadly at him. I hope he keeps up this chivalry. Then we become the best of friends.

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