I have a couple classroom pet peeves. One of my big ones is students trying to slip out of class a minute or so early.
Occasionally students may legitimately need to leave early. Special ed students whose bus leaves early. A student on crutches. A student who goes to take medicine. Students on athletic teams who have games. In all of those cases, the students ask permission and all is well.
7th period at the continuation high school. Environmental science. They had a packet of work that most ignored. Five minutes before the end of class (and the day), they all lined up at the door. And I saw a girl slip out...
I called her back. A couple times. Eventually, she heard me and turned around.
"It's almost time to go."
True, but it wasn't time yet. She needed to come back to the classroom.
She was halfway across campus. (It's a small campus.) She argued that she was almost out the gate. I told her that school wasn't out yet, and she needed to return for no matter how long it was.
She took two steps toward me when the bell rang...
In anticipation of the end of the day I had shut down the computer. This was how I logged into the attendance system. There is a screen that has all the students' pictures...
I didn't know her name. This is rather common with subs, especially in classes with no seating chart. The rest of the class "helpfully" didn't call out to her as I called out to her, so I couldn't glean her name that way. I'm pretty sure that's what she was counting on.
What she didn't get, though, was how much that stunt pissed me off. And it turns out I can access the attendance program via my phone. Finding her name was very easy after that.
It then took me a few minutes to write down her name, pack up my stuff, and check out from the office. On my way to my car, who do I see hanging out in the parking lot? Because she had to leave class early to hang out just outside the school?
That would have made me mad too with her ignoring your authority. I would have done everything to find out her name too to report her.
ReplyDeletebetty
Hi Liz - they do take the biscuit don't they - oh gosh I'd be steaming too ... just so frustrating and not funny - I hope she had some feed back/discipline in due course - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteBet she got a surprise the next day.
ReplyDeleteGrrr. What Alex said.
ReplyDeleteYes, hopefully the teacher followed up.
DeleteI don't know how she thought she'd get away with that. Some people are so short-sighted.
ReplyDeleteOhh that would have ticked me off too :/
ReplyDeleteOnly a handful of things really peeve me. That is one of them.
Deletewell of course! Socializing with friends is far more important than school. Ah, if only she knew how important an education is.
ReplyDeleteOne more nanosecond with that significant other made me do crazy things, but not to break school rules. I was too lawful.
ReplyDeleteShe wasn't even with a boy after school. It was a girl. (Although, she could be gay... Nah, they didn't seem that kind of chummy.)
DeleteI recall most classes the last five minutes we all watch the clock and creep closer to the door...I guess everyone was in hurry then...Now I want to smell the roses.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Lots of classes try the creep towards the door. I forbid it when I can.
DeleteBusted! Yes, parking lots of school are much more exciting than classrooms. Um, what?
ReplyDeleteThey just love to defy authority don't they!
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteShe left class early just to stand around in the parking lot? Seriously? :( When I was in HS, I had a kind teacher for the last period of the day that liked me. She always let me go to my locker across our large campus early. And then, I would immediately leave after that, often getting to my car before anyone else in the school had a chance. Which meant no traffic and I could get home early. I'm still friends with that particular teacher on FB. She was one of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was nice of her.
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