I was back in the middle school ELD class. (She's a new teacher, so she has a lot of trainings that the district makes her attend.) They were mostly on task and mostly quiet. But a new problem has emerged...
I caught a girl popping something into her mouth.
Eating in class is generally prohibited. (Some teachers are more lax on this than others.) I went over to remind the girl of the rule...
"The rules say no food, drink, or gum," she explained.
This is true. The sign posted in the classroom said as much.
"This is candy."
Uh huh. And candy is food...
"No, it's not food, it's candy."
We went back and forth on this a couple times. My explaining that she was not supposed to eat anything in class getting us nowhere. But then...
"Oh, no, it's not candy. It's a cough drop..."
Uh huh. Sure it is. And she can explain why it only became a cough drop after this argument to her teacher.
Oh, and keep in mind that she did eat the candy...
Do you remember your middle school (junior high school) years? (That's ages 12-13.) What's the silliest thing you ever argued?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
That young lady has a future as a spokesperson for the current administration...
ReplyDeleteWhen I was student, back in the dark ages, it was called "junior high". In 7th grade I had a mad crush on the teacher who was the adviser for the drama club. I was 13, he was 23, so much older than me.
Fast forward 30 years and my daughter, age 13, attends "middle school". Her 8th grade English teacher is...my former drama club adviser. And he still made my heart flutter.
That 10 year difference in age no longer seemed so vast, but alas, he was a happily married man.
Oh, that's a sad story. Too bad you couldn't have snagged him when you turned 21...
DeleteLOL with candy not being food to suddenly it being a cough drop, which if it was a cough drop, wouldn't she be in trouble for having medicine on her? Or are cough drops allowed?
ReplyDeleteI spent my junior high days in a Catholic school so you couldn't argue too much there against those nuns!
betty
Hi Liz - we just never ate in class ... but then so many things we wouldn't do, yet which kids and adults do today ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletehttp://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/j-is-for-jellicles.html
I can remember when I was in secondary school in Scotland and you were allowed to have something like a packet of Polo mints on your desk in some classes. It was down to the individual teacher but as long as it wasn't sticky or noisy to unwrap, it was okay.
ReplyDeleteA cough sweet would have been borderline even there!
Not sticky or noisy? Oh, I wish we pushed that rule. The number of kiddos with red all over their fingers from hot Cheetos...
DeleteI don't think I ever argued with a teacher. That would have gotten me sent to the office and a note home to my mother. And it just wasn't worth it!
ReplyDeleteI don't get why they argue. I'd get it if it were something important (like civil rights or something), but over food...
DeleteI'm not sure any of the arguments I had with teachers could be construed as silly. More like depressing. It seems like they never believed me no matter what I said...
ReplyDeleteI never ever argued with any teacher. Communications between parent and teacher were excellent.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's easier today. What with email and texting, teachers can get a hold of parents in no time.
DeleteI was never that silly.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I saved silliness for friends\siblings.
That's probably a good thing.
DeleteI'm not sure I ever argued with a teacher, that I can remember. I did other things - but not that. One day I'll blog about the satirical cartoon series I drew about a teacher I disliked....or maybe not. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWell, it depends on whether the teacher is still living, I think.
DeleteI can kind of understand her argument...just saying ....but she should have listened. I have no memory at what I fought about back in that day
ReplyDeleteI get where she was going. And after this the sign should be amended. But still...
Deletelol we had a strict hair dye policy and I decided I wanted bright red tips in my hair. The teacher said it was against the policy and I argued that red is a natural hair color. He wound up letting it slide :D
ReplyDeleteWhy there's a hair dye policy in high school... There's one here, too, but I still think it's silly. At that age?
DeleteLike song bird I went to middle school...7th though 9th grade. Back them we couldn't chew gum. One thing I know for sure I have no desire to go and be in what is now middle school.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder how we all survive it...Coffee is on
No kidding.
DeleteGosh yes, I remember and I am sure that I was pretty much a rebel even then! LOL...yep, sometimes you just can't argue with a rock!
ReplyDeleteI just wish they knew that ;)
DeleteMy 8th grade homeroom teacher wanted the whole class to race another class after lunch. At that age, I felt ridiculous racing. So I walked with a few of my friends to make a point. The teacher mocked and teased us for making her "lose" this contest. I went to the Vice Principal and told him what was going on and added that running right after eating was giving me a stomach ache. He told me to get a note from my mom and I didn't have to participate. My homeroom teacher called me a "Baby" for not racing with the class, but I felt I won that particular clash of wills.
ReplyDeleteIronically, I run several times a week these days. Five miles last night!
K is for Kevlar—Gift From Aliens?
Good for you! I stood for some principles back in the day, too. Some people will be jerks regardless of position - or because of it. Be well!
DeleteAre cough drops not candy? As little as they help…
ReplyDeleteYou should have asked her where her cough was! ;)
That would have been the question if we hadn't been going back and forth already.
Delete