Friday, January 29, 2016

The Visitor


Friday. Sixth period. In the English class I'd had all week.

I took roll as per normal, but I noticed something fishy. I should have had 27 students. I had 28.

I must have counted wrong. The seating chart may have been inaccurate. Nope. There was an extra student in class.

Which begs the question: Why? It wasn't a "fun" class. The students were well-behaved. They had an essay to write, which they did.

It took me some time to identify the interloper. He sat in the corner, trying to look busy.

By this time, it was nearly the end of the period. I confronted him. He claimed to be a new student. Said his name was Ned.

(New students always identify themselves as soon as they walk in the door, primarily because they don't know where to sit. And as I had access to the online attendance, I know he wasn't on my roll sheet. Not even as a new addition.)

I have no idea what he got out of it. I know that his sixth period teacher marked him absent. So, since he wouldn't show up anywhere else on campus officially, he'll be marked truant. Which eventually will get him a Saturday detention at minimum.

Lots of downsides. I don't see the upside.

On Monday I was back in the class. "Ned" walked in again. Took a look around. "Oh, this isn't my class." And walked out.

A minor victory.

21 comments:

  1. Just leaves me Shaking me head again!!

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  2. I guess he had something he just really wanted to avoid. But, like you said, it'll catch up with him eventually.

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  3. Why would he risk having to go to Saturday school rather than go to his right class? You would think he wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to sleep in.

    Betty

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    1. I know. Perhaps he planned to skip Saturday school as well.

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  4. How weird. I wonder what he was up to.

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  5. Scratching my head. This might be quite a story. Or not. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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  6. Strange. Maybe he was just trying to see what he could get away with...

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  7. I wonder if "Ned" needed a safe space? I have taught a couple of kids over the years who, for whatever reason, needed to be away from their actual timetabled class, so tried this kind of thing in an effort to find a safe space. Yes, he/they have wagged their actual class, but they haven't just nicked off out of the school, they have put themselves somewhere in a room where they are supervised, they haven't caused a fuss or created an actual problem for the teacher/class they are visiting. Sometimes they even learned something!

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  8. Someone super excited about English class? :) Not likely, I know!

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    1. Nah. They were writing about a book they had already read, so it wasn't like they were learning anything "new". (Just practicing writing. Which is important, but not exciting.)

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  9. Maybe he was sleep-walking on Friday, and on Monday, he finally woke up. :-P

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  10. Oh..he didn't want to show up somewhere else ....or maybe he has a crush on a girl and wanted to be near her.

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  11. Maybe he likes you and hates the other teacher. Or what Birgit above said. "Interloper" lol.

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    1. I highly doubt he has any opinion on me. But he could hate his teacher.

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  12. Liz, I figure this kid was.... (A) Off his meds.(B) Hoping to meet a new gal in that class. (C) Did it on a dare. or (C) All of the above. HA, I just noticed Birgit mentioned (B)! Sounds like the other day when he realized he was in the wrong class, then he didn't see said girl crush. :D

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