Last Friday as I took my one lesson of Year 10 Geography at 2pm on a hot afternoon, I sat on the desk at the front of the class reading out instructions from the other teacher to the class
(she teaches them 3 lessons a week and I have the other 1). As I recounted the page number for the questions they had been set, an extremely well made paper areoplane landed purposefully in my lap.
There was a roar of appreciative laughter and the barely contained mob, consisting of some of our more obnoxious students, threatened to lose it completely and slide into the classroom chaos many teachers have nightmares about. I had to think quickly. I decided to ignore it.
Without looking up I took the plane from my lap and placed it on the desk next to me. I continued reading out instructions. Gaining no 'rise' out of me the mob calmed again and I was eventually able to look up and instruct them to 'get started'. As I did I cast my eye around for an evil smirk or smug grin which may indicate my attacker, basking in the success of his ploy. None was evident.
As the class set to work I stood up and calmly unfolded the plane. There at the top of the page were the typed words
"My name is ******* ******** and this is my Geography survey."
I glanced up again and fancied I caught the remnants of a pleased expression on his, by now, relaxed face. I sauntered casually over to his desk and squatted down so that I was at eye level.
" ********, if you are going to throw paper planes at the teacher in future, ensure that your name is not printed at the top." My voice and stance were low enough to take him completely by surprise. His face fell, his mouth dropped open and his stammering was wonderous to behold.
I sent him to the Focus Room.
When he returned at the end of the lesson he was full of apologies and assured me that the plane had been intended for a friend but had curved beautifully and landed exactly in my lap. I was further amused to think of how his stomach must have turned as he watched it describe its path to his doom.
(she teaches them 3 lessons a week and I have the other 1). As I recounted the page number for the questions they had been set, an extremely well made paper areoplane landed purposefully in my lap.
There was a roar of appreciative laughter and the barely contained mob, consisting of some of our more obnoxious students, threatened to lose it completely and slide into the classroom chaos many teachers have nightmares about. I had to think quickly. I decided to ignore it.
Without looking up I took the plane from my lap and placed it on the desk next to me. I continued reading out instructions. Gaining no 'rise' out of me the mob calmed again and I was eventually able to look up and instruct them to 'get started'. As I did I cast my eye around for an evil smirk or smug grin which may indicate my attacker, basking in the success of his ploy. None was evident.
As the class set to work I stood up and calmly unfolded the plane. There at the top of the page were the typed words
"My name is ******* ******** and this is my Geography survey."
I glanced up again and fancied I caught the remnants of a pleased expression on his, by now, relaxed face. I sauntered casually over to his desk and squatted down so that I was at eye level.
" ********, if you are going to throw paper planes at the teacher in future, ensure that your name is not printed at the top." My voice and stance were low enough to take him completely by surprise. His face fell, his mouth dropped open and his stammering was wonderous to behold.
I sent him to the Focus Room.
When he returned at the end of the lesson he was full of apologies and assured me that the plane had been intended for a friend but had curved beautifully and landed exactly in my lap. I was further amused to think of how his stomach must have turned as he watched it describe its path to his doom.
So for those of you who wondered if your teachers enjoyed catching you out and making you squirm, the answer is a quiet but resounding , YES!
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Errrrk! The Sports Carnival will NOT be cancelled no matter what the temperature as the stadium is booked solid and we will 'lose our slot'. Everything has been moved forward and hopefully we will finish by 12.20pm. (Half Day yaaaaaaaaay!!!!)
8 comments:
Only a teacher can truly understand how satisfying it is to catch an especially smug miscreant by surprise. I LOVE how his tune changed after the focus room! We need a room like that at my middle school- LOL! This story is priceless; thanks for sharing it. Hope you enjoy the carnival, and find some escape from the heat!
Wow. Sounds hot! You little weather thingy (technical term, of course) says it's 31! ACK! I want to see temps like that. I am so sick of cold and snow. sigh.
LOVE the paper airplane story.... Hopefully he learned his lesson, but probably not!
I once accidentally shot a rubber band into my teacher's hair. Luckily, it landed quite softly and she didn't have any reaction. I've always wondered if she didn't notice or pretended not to.
Either way, it was still quite funny
I have all kinds of pictures in my head of The Focus Room. It sounds ominous. CIA interragators, Spanish inquisitors?
That is great! I sent it on to my sister a teacher turned asst. principal. She will be sure to enjoy it as well!
The Focus Room is terrifying. Not. The worst thing that could happen to you there would be an asthma attack from the dust. But they do have to 'explain' themselves to the deputy before they come out and may end up on a behaviour card. (ooooooo with rising and falling inflection)
A priceless story - absolutely priceless and so darn funny!!!!
Elisa
hehe... that is funny. I bet he was just mortified!
Post a Comment