Working Vacation

Today was sort of a weird day. It was the first day of intersession at the continuation high school. They are on their three-week spring break. However, for this first week of vacation, classes are offered (kind of like a summer school) for those who want to earn a couple credits. I was brought in to help with the overflow students in the government class.

The class was set up for maximum earning of credits. And the government teacher warned the students that they were to be working and quiet. If they didn't want to be quiet, they didn't have to take the intersession class (intersession is voluntary).

My group was nice and peaceful. Then I noticed that one boy and one girl kept looking at each other and whispering. I started off by sitting near them, and then I warned them that they needed to be working and not talking or I would separate them.

By the time the four-hour class got its break, I realized that I was going to have to separate the girl and the boy. I moved the boy's stuff to another desk, and when they returned from their break, I explained that they had been talking too much.

The girl was not pleased. She argued with me. She explained that they were getting their work done. Why should I care if they were talking? They were multitasking.

Reminding the girl that the instruction had been to work quietly did not satisfy her. So, I reminded her that she did not need to be there, and I left it at that.

The boy turned around a couple times to whisper to the girl from across the room. And then the two of them got their revenge. Suddenly, they needed help with the assignment. Well, that's what I was there for.

I wonder. They were talking way too much to have been helping each other with the assignment. I heard some of the conversation. It wasn't work-related. But then again, they only asked for my help when they were separated. And they weren't nearly as far along in their work as the rest of the class was.

Even in the silent classes, there are students to look out for.