I was collecting three things this day from the 8th grade pre-algebra class. I had finished the collecting of it all when a student at the back of the room suddenly "found" his paper (or suddenly realized that I was done collecting). I glared at him, but it wasn't like I wasn't going to accept the thing that was due.
I walked around the table and headed for the back of the room...
I felt my foot catch on the power cord. Hoping that I felt it in time, I let my shoe fall off my foot and continued walking on. Hoping that I hadn't...
BOOM!
The projector fell off the table and onto the floor.
The expensive projector.
In a room of 8th graders.
I continued to the boy, took his paper from him, and walked back to the front of the room. Replacing my shoe as I went.
If I showed any emotion, the already crazy class (it was a bad day) would have gotten even worse. So, it was put the projector back on the table (which three students jumped up to do), and browbeat them back to calm so I could pass out their test.
And hope the projector wasn't broken.
While pretending that I didn't feel like a complete idiot.
Somehow I managed to get the test started. Once the class was settled, I took those moments to write an explanation to the teacher as to my mistake.
(With all the witnesses, the teacher will hear the full story, anyway.)
Oh no! Not the expensive projector. Not in front of a rowdy group of 8th graders! That sucks.
ReplyDeleteMakes me happy that we never had nice, expensive equipment in my classroom.
You can only be so careful when there are cords around waiting to trip you.
ReplyDeleteOophs, think I would have told him to bring it up. After all he's younger then you and you had already been there. Hope the projector is ok, they are expensive things.
ReplyDeleteTraveling Suitcase
I already had too many students up out of their seats while I was trying to get them to settle for the test. I wasn't going to invite another student to roam. Otherwise I would have made him bring it to me.
DeleteAnd good news: the projector suffered no ill effects. It was working just fine on Monday.
Ouch. You handled it with dignity, tough to do in an 8th grade class, period. I especially liked how you left the shoe and then went back to get it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about dignity. One does not usually retain any dignity when dealing with 8th graders.
DeleteOh, I feel for you. 8th graders can be brutal. I hope next week is better!
ReplyDeleteThanks. My posts are actually a week behind my life, so as you'll see in my posts for the upcoming week, I can't escape the 8th graders. Arrrgh!
DeleteSounds as if you handled the situation with aplomb. Don't ever let 'em see you sweat. Must say, though, those cords look like an accident waiting to happen.
ReplyDeleteVR Barkowski