Chapter 7

"All I want is to be able to come into the classroom and observe Dolly and her surroundings for Tuesday and Wednesday." Only through Katie's hard efforts is Leo allowed to come to Dolly's classroom.

Come Tuesday morning, and after Dolly spent a successful night alone, they are ready to learn something new one more time. Both Dolly and Leo are excited. To say that Katie is excited is an underestimation of her feelings. She is just so very glad that it is beginning to look like she won't have to put her daughter on medication.

"You ready for this, babygirl?" asks Leo.

"Ready, willing and able, sir!" says Dolly, smiling prettily, making her uncle laugh warmly.

They walk to school, and when they walk into the classroom Dolly says, "Miss Pralar, this is my uncle Leo."

"Hello."

"Hello, and welcome to our class. Find a seat and let's get started."

"I'm going to sit off in the back corner so I can see everything that is happening. Dolly, you act like I'm not here and then we'll have lunch together."

"Okay." Dolly says smiling.

"Children, we have a guest today. His name is Leo and he is Dolly's uncle. He will be observing us today."

"Hi, kids."

"Hi." they say in unison.

Leo gets comfortable and watches as things unfold. Just before Dolly and he arrived at school, he told her that he wants her to raise her hand every so often to ask a question.

It doesn't take long at all for Leo to see a handful of problems. First the teacher has her back to the kids most of the time as she writes stuff on the chalkboard. She very rarely makes eye contact or engages the kids. All she does is lecture, and it is a hard fight for Leo's mind not to wander.

While the teacher was turned around, Dolly had raised her hands several times never to be called upon. Mostly because she was never seen, but also because when several of the kids raised their hands at the same time the teacher almost always called on a boy. Leo doubts if she even realizes she is doing it.

The only time she called on Dolly was when she realized Dolly had faded away to a daydream. Leo wonders if the teacher is doing it to embarrass her and to punish her for daring not to pay attention to her long-winded lecture.

After a few hours, Leo can stand no more. He stands up and says, "Excuse me. I think I see the problem. Dolly, I'll see you at lunch." and then without explaining any further he leaves.

He goes directly to the Principal's office. Once they are seated across from each other the Principal says, "So what did you find out?"

Leo slowly shakes his head. "Miss Pralar is not a very good teacher. The main thing is she seldom engages the kids. She stands there with her back to them lecturing and writing on the chalkboard. The only time she called on Dolly was to embarrass her about fading out again. When she did call on a student, it was almost always a boy."

"That is a very serious accusation."

"Let me tell you something. You people wanted my sister to put Dolly on drugs because she fades away sometimes, and yet she is not being drawn into the topic of study. I had trouble staying focused."

"What would you like us to do?"

"Don't take my word for it. Come to class with me tomorrow and observe for yourself."

"That is fair."

"Good. I'm going to go have lunch with Dolly and then go home, but I will come to your office in the morning and we'll go to her class together."