(I have been struggling with a student who has been off task and disruptive nearly every day. On this particular day, I’ve had enough.)

Me: “There are only fifteen minutes left in class. I’m really going to need you to be quiet so we can get this done.”

Student: “Why are you even talking to me? I wasn’t doing nothing.”

Me: “Exactly. You’ve been doing nothing for 45 minutes while the rest of us have been working.”

Student: “Nu-uh. Come and look at my paper. I have everything written down.”

Me: “Great. So, why don’t you go ahead and explain how we got the answer to part A?”

Student: “I didn’t say I was paying attention. I said I was behaving. There’s a difference!”

(We are in math class. Our teacher uses an overhead projector to teach lessons. Whenever he wants us to listen, he says:)

Teacher: “Everyone drop your pencils! This is important!”

(One day he must have been distracted.)

Teacher: “Okay! Drop your pants!”

(The class erupts in laughter.)

Teacher: “Pencil! I meant PENCIL! Now, don’t go telling your parents…”

(I am in the 8th grade. I have transferred into a new set of classes, and am sitting next to my friend in science class. She often copies off of my papers, and, at the time, I don’t really care enough stop her. We are learning about the periodic table of elements and we have just turned in our worksheets.)

Teacher: “[My Name], [Friend], please come see me.”

(We both go up, confused. The teacher looks at me first.)

Teacher: “Okay, [My Name]. You did pretty well, but where you were supposed to name an element after you, you were supposed to use your last name.”

Me: “Oh, oops.”

Teacher: “And [Friend], as honorable as it is to name an element after your friend, you’re going to need to sit next to someone else from now on.”

(It turns out she had copied my wrong answer without even reading the question!)

(My social studies class has just had a few seats switched around. My seat partner and I trade seats. She knows the other person I now sit next to, and I don’t like sitting between two people, which I now do. There are three single desks in the back. Due to the new arrangement one is open.)

Teacher: “Any questions?” *seat partner raises hand* “Yes?”

Seat Partner: “Can [Name] and I switch seats?”

Teacher: “Why?”

Seat Partner: “I don’t know.”

Teacher: “That’s not a good reason!”

(I raise my hand.)

Teacher: “Yes?”

Me: “Can I move to the empty seat in the back?”

Teacher: “Why?”

Me: “I just don’t like people in general.”

(He let me move!)

(I am new to the school, having just moved. Most of my classmates have not only been going to school together since kindergarten but, since it’s a special gifted program, have been in the same class for a few years. We’re in the library for a study period and this is the first time I’m meeting the librarian at the start of the year. She is making some announcements about computer availability and some library rules.)

Librarian: “And unfortunately that while you will have the pleasure of my presence, I regret to inform you that I resolve this year not to tell any jokes to this class anymore.”

Student #1: “Why?”

Librarian: “Because it got really tiresome last year to tell a joke, have everyone laugh, and then have to wait 10 minutes for [Student #2] to start laughing.”

(Everyone laughs but me, and one other girl. Then a few minutes later, I discovered that she was Student #2, as she suddenly started laughing after we had started on an activity.)

Student #2: “Oh, ‘cause I’m slow to get the joke! That’s funny!” *giggles*

(Student #2 and I became friends! It turns out she’s brilliant, but not always paying attention, and liked to affect stupidity. It was an interesting introduction to my new classmates.)