The Compliment

Eighth grade science. Sixth period. Finals were the following week, so they were working on a study guide for it.

I had been warned about sixth period...

I was seated at the teacher's desk, checking something on the computer (probably roll). I glanced up to see Teejay sneaking to the back of the room. He was tall, especially for an eighth grader, so he had ducked down so his head was at the level of the rest of the seated class. Still, I clocked the movement.

Teejay saw my attention.

"Man... I can't get away with anything. You keep catching me."

As he went back to his desk, I had to suppress a smile. That was such a sweet thing for him to say. It warms this sub's heart.

Later, I was standing near Teejay. (I was doing one of my circuits around the room.) A girl had asked about a question on her study guide.

I don't remember the question or my exact answer. I had been doing a lot of "check your notes". I repeated to several of them that everything on their study guide should look familiar. The study guide was review. Their teacher already taught everything on it throughout the semester.

"You sound just like my mom."

She explained that her mother said similar to her about her tests. Apparently, her grades needed improving, and her mother pointed out that she wasn't being tested on material she hadn't seen.

Another compliment? These kiddos are turning my head.