A couple weeks ago now, I covered an interesting 8th grade science class for two days. There were just too many stories to not share...
Perhaps I was just irritable. Perhaps I was being unfair. I don't know. You tell me.
Brian asked for and was granted a restroom pass on Tuesday. I usually don't notice how long someone is gone. But once ten minutes passes, I start to wonder. And when a student is gone over a half hour, only returning at the end of the period to collect his stuff...
Wednesday he called me over. He asked me how to set up Tuesday's assignment...
On Tuesday they had a "foldable". They folded a sheet of paper "hot dog style", cut it so it had three flaps, and then put specific information on each part of the project. All of this was explained in the handout they'd been given. It was written on the board. There was an example they could look at. And I explained everything at the beginning of the period on Tuesday.
Brian didn't leave class until after I had completed my instructions. Plus, he was in class at least ten minutes after.
But on Wednesday I saw that Brian had done none of the foldable the previous day.
How come he'd done nothing? Why did he ditch class on Tuesday? Where did he go? I wasn't much in a mood to explain the assignment to a student who had been in class. (The three students who had been absent--I had no problem explaining the assignment to them.)
Brian didn't get why I was upset. He told me he hadn't been feeling well.
So, why didn't he ask to go to the health office? I totally would have understood that (and not kept other students from the restroom waiting for him to get back).
"What help would they be?" Nope, sitting in the restroom for most of the period was better. Apparently.
The way Brian looked at me, he thought I was being unreasonable. *shakes head*
He probably was in the restroom on his phone for that long period of time; probably felt if he told you he hadn't been feeling well that day that you would cut him some slack and have sympathy for him and explain the assignment. Hopefully he learned a lesson.....
ReplyDeletebetty
8th graders just don't think.
DeleteI don't understand kids. They make life harder for themselves by doing stupid things like that.
ReplyDeleteYep, they do.
DeleteWho knows? He may have actually been sick and in dire need of a toilet. And I don't know what it's like where you are, but I remember that the nurse's office wasn't really that helpful in my school. Still, if he was sick, he should have told you and it's on him for not being around/paying attention.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he was trying to figure out how to fold the paper!!! LOL
ReplyDeletePerhaps.
DeleteI don't even want to know what a young teen may be doing in a washroom
ReplyDeleteIf I ask my students why they took so long they usually answer, "Because I was doing a number two, Miss." So I don't ask any more. Sometimes someone tattles on them for playing in the toilet though. I usually find out with the littlies.
ReplyDeleteYep, they use that one here, too. To which I reply, "TMI".
DeleteThey like to push the boundaries, don't that! You teachers have the patience of saints and I really do admire you.
ReplyDeleteI think this will remain a bathroom mystery...
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sure the teacher followed up. If only to give him a detention.
DeleteMaybe he was embarrassed by whatever was making him feel ill?
ReplyDelete