So I'm teaching middle school science today and this is the conversation I get sucked into:
Brat: If we have the periodic table in our textbook, why do we have to write it out?
Me: Well studies have proven that if you write things out in different ways rather then just reading it, then it helps you learn better.
Brat: Well its too much work.
Me: I don't make up your assignments, its not my responsibility. It's your responsibility to do the assignments you are told to do.
Brat: Well could I just write in the ones that are going to be on our test?
Me: sure, if you want to hand in an incomplete paper.
Brat: Geez, I just asked a question.
5 minutes later.
Brat: Why aren't all the elements on our paper?
Me: Excuse me?
Brat: Why aren't all the elements in the chart on our assignment paper?
Me: would you rather I give you more work?
Brat: No, I'm just asking.
Me: Well 5 minutes ago you were trying to argue your way out of doing half the work, now you claim you want to double it, so excuse me if I question your motives.
Brat: whatever.
This is the kind of attitude I deal with every time I'm in a middle school.
also, I need a new phrase to get them to be quiet then "excuse me" because I'm sick of hearing "your excused" muttered under someones breath.
Also, why is there this desire to correct the teacher from middle schoolers?
During the last period of class one student asked a completely stupid question as I had JUST finished giving the instructions for the SECOND time since class had started not 15 minutes ago.
Brat#2: Oh, did you already give these instructions?
Me: (exaserbated from having given the same instructions 100 times in one day) YES like 5 times!
Brat#3: I thought it was only 2.
Me: Excuse me?
Brat#3: (all smug) you only gave the directions twice.
(Whoopdie-shit, 5 vs. 2 and I used the word like.)
Me: And what purpose does that serve? Telling me that I said it twice instead of 5 times? Isn't the point that your friend over there managed to COMPLETELY IGNORE my directions with it being clearly given several times?
Brat#3: whatever.
If I EVER talked to a teacher like that I would be kicked out of the room. Is it a Canadian thing? Is it a french immersion thing and that all my teachers were french canadian?
GRRRRR
Little Miss Meany
PS. I had a kid from Brampton, a kid from Oakville and a kid from England in my class, so we sat around in homeroom talking about candy bars we miss.
Oh how I could go for a Caramilk bar right now.
Brat: If we have the periodic table in our textbook, why do we have to write it out?
Me: Well studies have proven that if you write things out in different ways rather then just reading it, then it helps you learn better.
Brat: Well its too much work.
Me: I don't make up your assignments, its not my responsibility. It's your responsibility to do the assignments you are told to do.
Brat: Well could I just write in the ones that are going to be on our test?
Me: sure, if you want to hand in an incomplete paper.
Brat: Geez, I just asked a question.
5 minutes later.
Brat: Why aren't all the elements on our paper?
Me: Excuse me?
Brat: Why aren't all the elements in the chart on our assignment paper?
Me: would you rather I give you more work?
Brat: No, I'm just asking.
Me: Well 5 minutes ago you were trying to argue your way out of doing half the work, now you claim you want to double it, so excuse me if I question your motives.
Brat: whatever.
This is the kind of attitude I deal with every time I'm in a middle school.
also, I need a new phrase to get them to be quiet then "excuse me" because I'm sick of hearing "your excused" muttered under someones breath.
Also, why is there this desire to correct the teacher from middle schoolers?
During the last period of class one student asked a completely stupid question as I had JUST finished giving the instructions for the SECOND time since class had started not 15 minutes ago.
Brat#2: Oh, did you already give these instructions?
Me: (exaserbated from having given the same instructions 100 times in one day) YES like 5 times!
Brat#3: I thought it was only 2.
Me: Excuse me?
Brat#3: (all smug) you only gave the directions twice.
(Whoopdie-shit, 5 vs. 2 and I used the word like.)
Me: And what purpose does that serve? Telling me that I said it twice instead of 5 times? Isn't the point that your friend over there managed to COMPLETELY IGNORE my directions with it being clearly given several times?
Brat#3: whatever.
If I EVER talked to a teacher like that I would be kicked out of the room. Is it a Canadian thing? Is it a french immersion thing and that all my teachers were french canadian?
GRRRRR
Little Miss Meany
PS. I had a kid from Brampton, a kid from Oakville and a kid from England in my class, so we sat around in homeroom talking about candy bars we miss.
Oh how I could go for a Caramilk bar right now.
6 Comments:
I only have first graders, but I too am tired of saying excuse me constantly.
I now say "Stop talking....NOW!"
It's been working well for me.
And next time some little shit says how many times you've given the directions...make him stand up and repeat everything you said.
I worked in middle schools, high schools and elementary schools last year and I found this same sort of attitude up here in Canada. Times are changing. In fact I worked with kindergartens who would swear at their teachers and refuse to work. I worked as a behaviour consultant. The things that kids get away with in school I wouldn't even have considered doing.
Thanks for the perspective... now I feel old. "Back in my day,. we had some respect"
and we really didn't, compared to our parents.
I always like consequences. For instance, if you announce beforehand, "I'm only going to say this once, so you better listen" and then commence to give the directions. When someone asks, say, "Sorry, I told you to listen. I guess you're just going to get a bad grade."
Of course, you'd probably be sued by the parents and be fired.
yep i would probably get fired.
I honestly told them when I went to say it the first time to listen up, that i didn't want to have to say it again, and they still diffent figure it out. So I had to say it again...
and again
and again
thats the problem with teaching the same thing 5 times a day
gasp!
no caramilk bars down there?
what a foul country.
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