Sunday, April 29, 2012

How Do Middle-Schoolers Function?: 9 Ridiculous Things They Do That Drive Their Teachers Crazy

1. I can stand in front of the class, holding a copy of the paper that I want them to hand in to me, describe the paper verbally, and say the words, "please pass this paper down your row to the middle so I can collect it from you," and they won't do it. They can be looking at me the entire time, have their folder open, and I can see their completed homework sheet in that folder, and SOMEHOW, it doesn't get done! The most ridiculous example of this had the student with the piece of completed homework IN HIS HAND, then he set it down to sharpen his pencil, came back, looked at the homework with a blank look on his face, and he put it back in his folder. I could hardly believe it.

2. They hand in completely blank copies of their homework. But hey, at least they put their name on it, so I know who to give the zero to.

3. They put their entire head underneath the sink faucet in my classroom to "cool off" on hot days.

4. They throw each others' shoes on top of the light fixtures.

5. They wear shorts and t-shirts on 40 degree days and sweatshirts and long pants on 80 degree days.

6. The boys wear black socks to mid-calf with slide-on flip flops. It's one of the weirder fashion statements I've seen out of them.

7. They leave behind all manner of things in my classroom: books, binders, calculators, cell phones, SHOES, tennis balls, sweatshirts, bracelets, glasses...one student once left behind a shoulder bag. Inside: a laptop and an iPad.

8.  Even though they know that I will be deducting points for things they turn in late, they still fail to turn in their major assignments on time. HALF of my 2nd hour students haven't yet turned in their papers that were due a week ago. 

9.They ask me if they can borrow a calculator so that they can finish their math homework in the middle of my Spanish class.

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