Students think they have invented the smart ass wheel. They don't get that teachers are special people with super powers like super sonic hearing and eyes in back of the head and all these things. Well, they never learn until they are sitting in detention or on Sir's (the principal's) verandah.
A couple years ago I was revising Science with a group of 9th Graders. We were looking at the respiratory system. I asked something like "Which organ is needed for breathing?" or something like that. And of course the head boy piped up, loudly and ever so wrong: "the testes". Now, after we picked ourselves off the ground I asked him to think about it some more.
His brethren: Eediat! You testes a you balls, dawg.
Me: That's correct. Can you breathe with your balls?
Second brethren: Mi would like to see dat.
Headboy: (under his breath but loud enough for me to hear and but quietly enough to pretend he didn't say it) I can't breathe with my balls but I can breed you with them. Want to try it out?
Me: Really!!? You want to go there? Gwaan go check di prin.
Just recently, I was doing a vocabulary lesson with a Grade 7 group. We were looking at words associated with feelings. I asked them to write at least 25 words and ensure each word was spelt correctly.
12 yr old girl: Miss, mi can write horney?
Me: Is it a word associate with feelings? And can you spell it?
12yr old girl: (to her friend) You can spell it?
Friend: (Under her breath) She lucky. Mi a write it wedda it spell right or not. Dem love gwaan like a dem have franchise pon horney. (hisses teeth)
Me: Spell Franchise.
This morning during registration students were chattering away. I have a Grade 7 class.
Me: Students, be quiet. As a matter of fact, assume the silent position. (Yes, my classroom has a position like that; it is a regular prison.)
The class got quiet but after a few beats the little voices started chiming in.
Me: I am hearing voices. These aren't the ones I like. They are not the voices in my own head.
Boy: (Under his breath) You know da ooman yah a get raas mad. Now she a talk bout voice inna har head.
His friend: You better shut up den.
Me: Take you friend's advice.
Why on God's green Earth these kids think can't hear them? SMH...
A couple years ago I was revising Science with a group of 9th Graders. We were looking at the respiratory system. I asked something like "Which organ is needed for breathing?" or something like that. And of course the head boy piped up, loudly and ever so wrong: "the testes". Now, after we picked ourselves off the ground I asked him to think about it some more.
His brethren: Eediat! You testes a you balls, dawg.
Me: That's correct. Can you breathe with your balls?
Second brethren: Mi would like to see dat.
Headboy: (under his breath but loud enough for me to hear and but quietly enough to pretend he didn't say it) I can't breathe with my balls but I can breed you with them. Want to try it out?
Me: Really!!? You want to go there? Gwaan go check di prin.
Just recently, I was doing a vocabulary lesson with a Grade 7 group. We were looking at words associated with feelings. I asked them to write at least 25 words and ensure each word was spelt correctly.
12 yr old girl: Miss, mi can write horney?
Me: Is it a word associate with feelings? And can you spell it?
12yr old girl: (to her friend) You can spell it?
Friend: (Under her breath) She lucky. Mi a write it wedda it spell right or not. Dem love gwaan like a dem have franchise pon horney. (hisses teeth)
Me: Spell Franchise.
This morning during registration students were chattering away. I have a Grade 7 class.
Me: Students, be quiet. As a matter of fact, assume the silent position. (Yes, my classroom has a position like that; it is a regular prison.)
The class got quiet but after a few beats the little voices started chiming in.
Me: I am hearing voices. These aren't the ones I like. They are not the voices in my own head.
Boy: (Under his breath) You know da ooman yah a get raas mad. Now she a talk bout voice inna har head.
His friend: You better shut up den.
Me: Take you friend's advice.
Why on God's green Earth these kids think can't hear them? SMH...