"Look what I found!"
It was snack. I made my usual restroom run, and I was on my way back to the classroom. The middle school boy pointed up. It took me a minute to see to what he was pointing.
Cockroach. Sitting near the top of a wall a good two feet over my head.
Unfortunately, cockroaches aren't an unusual occurrence. Besides, we were outside. So, after saying something, I continued on my way.
THUD!
This sounded like the boy threw something (a shoe?) at the cockroach.
I kept on.
THUD! This time followed by screams.
A crowd gathered.
The middle school teachers stand around during snack much as the students do. Talking. Laughing. Eating.
Watching.
I couldn't let that group think I ignored a potential problem. I can't appear to be a do nothing sub. I do pay attention. So, I headed towards the teachers who were heading for the crowd.
"Cockroach."
"Big one?"
"Oh, naturally."
"It came from my room." (This one from a social studies teacher. She had come out just as all this was happening.)
I have no idea if they managed to knock the bug down. The next class came in loud and very wound up. But I can't be sure if that was cockroach related or due to the fact that they knew we were having a fire drill in a very short time.
Or it could have just been that it was a minimum day.
Just about anything will get middle schoolers worked up.
Friday, May 31, 2013
11 comments:
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I had a snake in my classroom one day. He was just curled up right there under my desk, and it took every fiber of my being to not totally freak out in front of the kids.
ReplyDeleteOf course I did have to go get the social studies teacher to remove it for me.
And you're right...just about anything will get those middle schoolers worked up.
I HATE cockroaches--especially the five inchers, but they're almost as common as sand around here. *shudders* And it's not just middle schoolers. My home schoolers will bolt at the slightest provocation too. Kids are supposed to have short attention spans, right?
ReplyDeleteKids in groups... It just seems like the middle schoolers scream more.
DeleteSomething very similar happened when I was in high school and a giant spider fell on me. All the boys gathered around to heroically slay the beast. However we were slightly easier to calm than middle schoolers.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you, if I saw a kook-a-racha, I wouldn't walk away calmly! ;)
ReplyDeleteCan't blame them for getting worked up. A cockroach *shudder* would get me worked up too. The roaches in Georgia apparently lift weights. They're way burly compared to the California variety.
ReplyDeleteVR Barkowski
EEWWWWWW. I hate cockroaches, particularly the winged variety!
ReplyDeleteDon't we all?
DeleteOhhh...Cockroaches and I have a history. Started in Mississippi years ago, then in Georgia and New Mexico, and finally a year in Malaysia. We don't have them in eastern Washington (that I have seen), but people say they could survive an atomic blast. I believe it!!
ReplyDeleteYick!
DeleteI think the fact that it was outside would probably not freak me out as much as finding one inside, especially if it were in a place where I was eating. Here on the east coast we are waiting for the arrival of the 17 year cicadas. Yuck!
ReplyDelete