Alien Spam

At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

Through the Wormhole is back on. Hooray! It gives me all sorts of interesting things to ponder.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the clip that prompted this week's question, but this clip is from the same episode. (I tried to embed it, but Blogger just isn't having it today.) It gives you an idea of the gist of where this particular question came from...

What if spam messages (the ones that sound like they were composed by someone whose first language is not English) are actually from aliens trying to figure out how to communicate with us?

Checking Back

The things I learn while subbing...

So, there's this sponge thing that if you (and by "you" I mean an African-American teenage boy) apply it to your hair, it creates a soft spiky hairstyle. (I wanted to post pictures, but I don't take pictures in class, and I couldn't find one that I could reuse, so you'll just have to follow this link to see what I'm talking about. Or Google: curl sponge.)

I learned about this last Monday when two boys spent the entire first period using this sponge rather than doing their assignment. Well, they did a little of their assignment. (It was a special ed. study hall, so there wasn't that much to do.)

I had them in class again fifth period, only this time it was an algebra class. They didn't get a whole lot done then, either. (They spent the entire period copying the definitions--something that should have taken five minutes tops.) So, I left their names in my note.

Last Wednesday I had a roving assignment. Sixth period was special ed. biology. And I recognized more than half the class from Monday. Including one of those boys.

He didn't look happy to see me.

In fact, he looked kinda pissed off. Muttered something along the lines of, "Not her".

Me thinks there were some consequences for his lack of work on Monday...

His behavior Wednesday? Well, the friend wasn't in class. They were watching a movie (stuff about the ocean). And I had an instructional assistant who knew him. So, the fact that he sat quietly and kept to himself could be attributed to any of those factors.

But this is why I leave names in my notes. Not so much for punishment (for if they go over-the-top I just send them out). It's more to let them know that their actions do have consequences. And that makes future days with me easier.

A couple of you have wondered that we are still in school. Yes, we are. Another week and a half to go. Those of you who are already out of school--you get out EARLY. Of course, you also start back early, so it evens out in the end.

Not Even Plausible Lies

"But you're the teacher, not her. You don't need her permission to let me go..."

Johnny protested loudly, talking over me after I had said no and he asked me why. My explanation of, "Mrs. V already said no," was unacceptable. But I know this game. I give a reason. They argue the point. (It's why, "Because I said so," is my go-to reason for most things.)

Mrs. V was the instructional assistant (IA). She knows the students. And for things like restroom passes, I follow the lead of the IA. (I follow the lead of the IA for just about everything. They know the room. The routines. How the students are supposed to behave. They are my biggest allies. They have my back, so I back them up.)

It was the beginning of the period. The bell had barely rung. Johnny leaned out the door. Asked to go to the restroom. Mrs. V asked him why had hadn't gone during snack--10 minutes of free time that had preceded the period. Johnny said that he was stuck in testing.

(The Smarter Balanced testing. They've been calling students out of class to make up portions that they missed.)

Mrs. V dug deeper into that. She asked to see his pass. Turned out he returned to 2nd period towards the end. Johnny said that he stayed in at snack to get the assignment. Another student piped up with the information that they had been watching a movie.

So, did Johnny stay in at snack? Well, that's easy enough to verify. Who's his teacher? He didn't know. (Um, it's the end of the school year, and he doesn't know his teacher's name?) Okay then, what class? He had no idea. (Said he sleeps through class.)

Sleeps through class. Doesn't know the teacher's name. Stays after class to get assignment that he missed for being out of class. Which of these things is not like the others?

Clearly, he was angling to get out of class. Before it even began.

(That was a day. I had two other students that I can only describe as jerks in later periods. Sigh.)

Putting the Puzzle Together

Students don't generally talk to me. Sometimes it's like being that proverbial. fly on the wall. They talk around me like I'm not there.

Sometimes the things I glean from snippets are brilliant, silly, or entertaining. Or shocking.

Scene #1: Period 4

Stephanie sat down in front of the instructional aide (IA). 

"Do you think we'll make it?" 

Apparently, Stephanie just learned her boyfriend had cheated on her. (I got that from bits of the conversation.) The IA didn't have much advice--more of a shrugging of shoulders. As I had not been included in the conversation (and I didn't know the particulars), I kept my mouth shut.  

Scene Aside: Period 2

Angel was supposed to be doing computer work, but she got sidetracked. She was looking up images online.  

To her friend: "This one looks like my dad's mug shot. He looked this angry." 

They were looking at actual mug shots.  

Scene #2: Period 5

Student to me: "What's the date?" 

I told her.  

"No! It's my father's birthday. I forgot." 

Well, clearly not. I reasoned that the day wasn't over yet, so a "happy birthday" after school should be fine.  

Stephanie: "That happened to me. I forgot my boyfriend's birthday. I would have forgotten completely if he had not called..." He told her it was a special day. She asked if he was being released. No. It was his birthday.  

Released. As in, from prison. Yep, Stephanie's boyfriend is in jail. 

Scene #3: Period 7

Stephanie and Angel were talking. Stephanie was still upset over cheating boyfriend. 

Stephanie: "Is he now homosexual?" 

Angel: "When my dad got out after 12 years, he was fine..." 

END 

So... Yeah...  

No Charlie, No

The things teens latch onto...

I was at the continuation high school covering that school's equivalent of a learning center. Any RSP student could go there for extra help, and over the course of the day several did. But like the Learning Center at other schools, some of them needed a push to get on task.

"Have you heard of the Charlie Charlie Challenge?"

Not then, but unfortunately now I am very familiar with it. (LINKS: CNN's take. Time's take.)

I forbade it in class, but they're not good with the listening. They'd start. I'd stop them. But 6th period was my prep, so that's what they did while I wasn't there.

(Briefly: They balance two pencils over a paper that has "yes" and "no" written on it. Then they ask it questions. Apparently there are lots and lots of videos, so if you want more information about the fad, Google it. It's everywhere now.)

7th period they were all freaked out.

"Your phone's in the trash." The instructional assistant (IA) informed a student. He did go "digging in the trash" for that. (Teens do have priorities.)

How did it get in there?

Another student: "Charlie did it!"

Sure. I'm certain some fictional spirit took your cell phone and threw it in the trash because you did not "close" correctly. /sarcasm

The boy looked for a logical explanation. Perhaps it fell out of his pocket when he leaned over? Except he keeps the phone in the other pocket.

The whole room erupted in chaos. "We're haunted," they said.

The bell rang to end the day. The kiddos escaped the horror.

The IA turned to me. She indicated that the boy's phone has been precariously perched on the desk over the trash can. She heard it fall in...

So, yeah, no Charlie. I officially detest this "game".

What a Trip

At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

The other morning on my way to work I was listening to some radio show or other (I flip through stations until I find music), and the guys were reading some story of someone who did something stupid while high on drugs. So, of course my mind went a little sideways...

What if hallucinogenic drugs caused people to see into an alternate reality or alternate universe?

The Gift Card Holders Are Now Available

Remember my gift card holder giveaway from the A to Z challenge? If you notice my mini shop widget in the sidebar, you might have noticed those gift card holders popping up lately. Yup, I've gotten around to listing them in my shop...

I'll be listing a couple of them a day until I get all the remaining letters listed. Make sure to drop by my shop and check them out. (And if you use the coupon code GIFTCARDLOG you'll get $2 off.)