The Thursday before spring break. Tenth grade English. Third period.
The assignment: they were working on "independent projects". After some observation, my guess is those projects had to do with the book they were reading, Night by Elie Wiesel.
I did my usual intro which I managed to finish just before the daily morning announcements. When the teacher leaves a vague lesson plan, that's because the kiddos have been working on this and should know what to do. So, I expected them to get to work. I opened the seating chart in the attendance software, and started to take roll...
A boy walked in late. He sat in the corner. I went to mark him tardy, but he did not look anything like the picture of the boy in the seat. As I looked around and compared the live students to the seating chart photos, I noticed that the two bore no resemblance to each other. Um...
"Why are you not in your assigned seats?" I asked the class at large.
And suddenly, a third of the class remembered, "I don't sit here," and a minute of flurry ended with a live class that actually looked like the seating chart.
What? Do they think I'm new?
While some teachers' seating charts are out of date or they don't really enforce them, I knew Mr. C's chart was accurate (he said so) and that he did enforce it.
I noted the attempt in the note, and I moved on.
It was funny how the class was very laid-back and talkative right until I insisted on assigned seats. Then things got very, very quiet. Hopefully they got some work done, but sophomores. Some are still not quite focused on getting it done.
Have you ever read Night? Did you sit next to your friends in school? Did you get your work done?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
I had no friends in school.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that's not true, but it sounded good.
Nice try! I like that they quieted down as soon as they knew you weren't a pushover. I sometimes got my work done, lol I definitely didn't excel in high school.
ReplyDeleteThey quieted down as soon as they weren't sitting near their friends. And the thing is, I don't care if they're quiet. Unless it's a test. If they want to ask their neighbor questions or whatever, that's fine. If they're not allowed to sit next to their friends, there's a reason for that.
DeleteI have not read Night, though I guess I should. I have trouble with anything Holocaust related though. It’s just all so upsetting.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t have many friends in school, but I did sit with my bestie Elizabeth in calculus. I always got my work done!
school days!!! you will be surprised if i tell you that for my eleven years of schooling i went to eleven schools in three different cities.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot.
DeleteThey were trying to pull one over on you. I did my work in school. I wasn't one of the class clowns, there were enough of them already.
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny!
ReplyDeleteI agree. :)
DeleteIt's just so teenage. They'll try to see what they can get away with.
DeleteNight is an amazing book. I have the exact same experiences when I am subbing. My favorite is when students walk to their regular seat, see that I'm a sub and walk to another seat.
ReplyDeleteGood try, class, but didn't work. I haven't read Night, which may be surprising to some. I can be happy it is being taught in your school system. Too many people out there don't even believe that the Holocaust ever happened.
ReplyDeleteI know I won't be able to read it, so no, not surprised you haven't. I mentioned it was Night specifically for you. As I will specifically mention next week that yesterday the 8th graders were reading Diary of Anne Frank. Because the Holocaust is taught here, and continues to be taught here.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. I didn't sit by friends. They always giggled and talked, while I was intent on learning. I was told at a class reunion that people wanted to sit next to me, since i knew the answers.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm sure you wouldn't have just given them the answers, so they wouldn't have liked sitting next to you ;)
DeleteNight is a worthy book.
ReplyDeleteFunny how they quieted down
They weren't sitting next to their friends, so they had no one to talk to.
DeleteNight is a worthy book (as songbird said above), but heartbreaking. I always struggled with seating in the classroom. As a teacher, I didn't really want to expend my energy on deciding where people's butts would be (I was worried about the other end), but they are still kids and need support to aid concentration sometimes. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
No, I have not read Night. No, I didn't sit next to my friends in high school, we took different classes. Yes, I got my work done, I liked school (except geometry).
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad that you didn't get to have classes with your friends, but it probably helped you in the long run.
DeleteI made countless decisions to read Night. Never made it. Laziness is the only valid reason.
ReplyDeleteIt's a rough read. Heartbreaking. (Not that I've read it or will, but I've heard some chapters.) You kind of have to gear up to be ready for it, so I wouldn't call it laziness. You'll get to it when you're ready for it.
DeleteI have never read that book. You are an amazing substitute teacher.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteDefinitely teenage.
ReplyDeleteVery much so.
DeleteI haven't read it.
ReplyDeleteTeachers didn't have pictures with seating charts in my day. But I'm sure there were notes about "the weird brown kid who doesn't speak and makes trouble." (I didn't make trouble, I just didn't allow others to physically harm me without fighting back, which they never thought I'd be able to do, because they'd always misjudge me.)
But yeah, I got my work done. In a "fair" world, I'd have been one of those high honor students. Then again, I didn't attend a lot of traditional school.
i haven't read it, but i did always get my work done. we didn't have assigned seating in any class but homeroom in high school, but i didn't sit with my friends we didn't share classes. i didn't have many friends anyways, i was always to busy reading or wrapped up in my horseback riding, so my social life in school was practically nonexistant.
ReplyDeleteI understand that. No assigned seating? I'm guessing you were in lots of advanced classes. (Those are the classes where the kiddos will pay attention when asked.)
Delete