My personal blog about the random things that are in my life: writing, knitting, and substitute teaching.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Rats
I didn't really get into the four days I spent in the forensics/biology class (three periods of forensic science, two periods of biology). I kind of ran out of time and space. But then the following week...
I had a 7th grade class work silently for the whole period. And I did not even ask them to do that. I had a class that by all rights should have been a disaster go smoothly. And I had a day where the classes were instructed to work silently, and they did. I do have weeks that go like that. Good thing the previous week still had stories left over.
Anyway, I was in this class for four days due to a sudden emergency illness (hospitalization was involved), which meant the week was fairly chaotic.
Day one, the students all descended on the rats...
I tend to fret over pets in the classroom. Are they being fed? Do they have everything they need?
But they absolutely, positively must remain in their cages. Because they're not my pets. I don't know what's allowed. And if anything goes wrong, I'm ultimately responsible.
The first thing the students did? They took them out.
I put my foot down. "Put them back. Leave them alone."
Them: "Are you afraid of the rats?"
Deep sigh. "No."
But they weren't hearing "no". In their minds, the only reason I wasn't allowing them to handle the rats was because I had to be frightened of them. (Apparently, handling the rats is permitted by the teacher. Cool. So long as the teacher is there to supervise.)
Fine. Whatever. I've given up denying stuff. The kiddos can believe what they want. They're going to anyway. And spending time denying it isn't worth the effort.
So, I sort of won that battle. The rats were put away. And stayed put away.
As did the snake. (Apparently it was hiding well as no one even attempted to handle it.)
19 comments:
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Awww, the rats are so cute.
ReplyDeleteThey were. Until the time when two of them ganged up on a third.
DeleteEw. I can't see the benefit of having rats in a classroom. I know of a school that closed down because of rats in the classroom. How strange.
ReplyDeletePet rats. In a cage. I don't get the pet thing either, but some teachers like to have them.
DeleteI think I would have to have that be one of my criteria for not substituting for a particular class, LOL. Not sure I could handle the rats and/or snakes in an environment where I would be spending a good majority of my day :)
ReplyDeletebetty
I could handle the rats, but the snake?! 😧 What …? Was the teacher raising snake/pet food (the rats)?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I thought it curious, too. Interesting juxtaposition.
DeleteOh heck nooooo I'd be running out of that classroom if the rats and the snake were out. lol!
ReplyDeleteThey shouldn't be out with a sub, so it wouldn't be an issue. (I never did see the snake.)
DeleteYeah, it's probably best to leave the animals in their cages until the responsible adult is back. You don't want them to run away or something. But they're so cute. I would have wanted to pet them :)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't even have taught in that classroom. Or those cages would have been covered. I am terrified of rats, mice, and anything that looks like them!
ReplyDeleteThey were enough away, and the cages were secure. Pets in the classroom are generally not an issue.
DeleteI had one of those moments in a science class once, shut them right up when I took the snake out of their hands to put back in the tank! (The taxidermy chicken however *shudder*)
ReplyDeleteThat's one approach.
DeleteI heard rats can be affectionate and cute but I don't think think I would want to handle them. I'm glad you did your best to protect them.
ReplyDeleteI even protect spiders when I can...
DeleteAw the rats are so cute! But I think that's a good rule when they aren't your pets and you don't know them. Gah on the snake. That's like the clowns. NOPE!
ReplyDeleteI lived on a farm where rats were anything but cute. Snakes served a purpose.
ReplyDeleteWe did wonder if the rats were being raised for the snake...
Delete