Appropriateness.
There are certain things you can and can't do in certain environments. If you're at work, you can't make sex jokes. If you're at Church, you can't act jump and run aroundaround like a gorilla. When you're in school, you can't shop for dildoes on the internet. Sorry, that's just the way it is.
Yes, two of my students were talking about dildoes. WHILE I was helping one with her computer! Now, when people are talking about personal issues, I try not to overhear, I ignore and play stupid. I don't want them to feel uncomfortable. So while they were talking, I acted as if i didn't know what they were talking about. After a minute or two, I moved around in case they forgot I was there. They continued talking about there dildoes/vibrators. The features, the colors, the feel, the sizes! THE SIZES! Then, as if that weren't bad enough, the other student (not the one I was helping), decides to shop online for a dildo. I was amazed. I gave her a minute or two to think "Oh! I forgot the teacher was here!" But no, she kept on.
I was about to say something, when she looks over at me (I thought "Whew! Ok she finally realized I'm here." NOPE!) and asks "How do I find this store?" While POINTING at the screen with a dildo on it! So I said "Maaaybe, you shouldn't be looking at that in here." and then proceeded to explain that some online stores don't actually have "stores". Ok, I figure it's over. No, the two students begin talking about FEATURES! I even heard mention of a "knob"! The second student even talked about how she was tired of the one she has and wanted "something special"! "SOMETHING SPECIAL"! Holy cow! And they both realized I was there, so.... I don't know. I.... just.... don't.... know.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
What's your price?
One of my policies with students is that there's a line. I'm friendly, but can't get too personal with them. And I don't give/lend money. But I'll make an occasional except (with money, not getting personal). There's this one student who is always borrowing money from other students, a dollar here, two dollars there.. It's gotten to the point that other students ignore her. So one day, she comes to me and tells me that she's leaving early because she's so hungry. Turns out her "man" only gave her 35 cents to geto to school, eat lunch and come home (the train rides alone would have been $4). And, she was going to walk home (an hour and a half walk). So I told her that I'd lend her $4, but that she had to hand in some real classwork, and not BS as she usually does. She swore she'd pay me back the next day, I said "Don't worry, just pay me back by the weekend." I never saw that money again. She's still in classes, but she has never mentioned the money.
I later found out that she's gotten a few dollars out of practically all of her other teachers. One said they bring in an extra sandwich every now and then for her. She's in a bad situation, but you can't support a person. All I know is I bought a person for $4. That was her price, she can't ask me for more, I'll never have to hear her ask me again. $4 for an assignment.. not too bad.
One of my policies with students is that there's a line. I'm friendly, but can't get too personal with them. And I don't give/lend money. But I'll make an occasional except (with money, not getting personal). There's this one student who is always borrowing money from other students, a dollar here, two dollars there.. It's gotten to the point that other students ignore her. So one day, she comes to me and tells me that she's leaving early because she's so hungry. Turns out her "man" only gave her 35 cents to geto to school, eat lunch and come home (the train rides alone would have been $4). And, she was going to walk home (an hour and a half walk). So I told her that I'd lend her $4, but that she had to hand in some real classwork, and not BS as she usually does. She swore she'd pay me back the next day, I said "Don't worry, just pay me back by the weekend." I never saw that money again. She's still in classes, but she has never mentioned the money.
I later found out that she's gotten a few dollars out of practically all of her other teachers. One said they bring in an extra sandwich every now and then for her. She's in a bad situation, but you can't support a person. All I know is I bought a person for $4. That was her price, she can't ask me for more, I'll never have to hear her ask me again. $4 for an assignment.. not too bad.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
New year, same issues...
Mugg is still annoying. I think it may be her personality. Although she normally acts like a thug, I've seen her try to act "nice" (you can tell she's forcing it). She only seems to do it, when she wants something. That tells me that she knows that her usual behavior puts people off.
Yesterday was a "regular stressful" day. That would be between "regular" and "very stressful". I hear Mugg "Yo! Come here. This thing doesn't work." and she's showing me by tapping one key over and over. I say "Don't do that, it'll only make it worse." And as I'm trying to see what the problem is, she's STILL tapping that key... as I'm trying to fix it. Yes... AS I'm trying to fix it.
Then I see another student is eating some Combos, so I remind her of the policy of not eating at the computers. She tells me that there's "No way" she could drop crumbs on the keyboard. And proceeds to show me by holding her bag of Combos upside-down over the keyboard. Yes... of course crumbs fell. She played it off like they didn't. So I walked over and shook the crumbs out. And she says "See! Most of those are potato chip crumbs! I'm eating Combos." I just look at her and say "Yes... MOST of them." I tell her about another student who was drinking something at another computer and spilled some of her drink, and now that keyboard doesn't work. She says "You should say something then, so people know not to drink at their computer." I just looked at her. Not only are there two big signs that say "ATTENTION. NO Food. NO Drink. NO Exceptions." But I always remind them of the signs. Her friend laughed and said "HELLO! Not only does he say it, but there's a sign right in front of you that says that." Her reply? "Well... I'm hungry. What do you except me to do?" I remind her that she can sit anywhere else, or go outside to the hallway. Her comeback? "Well, I like to eat while I'm doing my work on the computer."
Mugg is still annoying. I think it may be her personality. Although she normally acts like a thug, I've seen her try to act "nice" (you can tell she's forcing it). She only seems to do it, when she wants something. That tells me that she knows that her usual behavior puts people off.
Yesterday was a "regular stressful" day. That would be between "regular" and "very stressful". I hear Mugg "Yo! Come here. This thing doesn't work." and she's showing me by tapping one key over and over. I say "Don't do that, it'll only make it worse." And as I'm trying to see what the problem is, she's STILL tapping that key... as I'm trying to fix it. Yes... AS I'm trying to fix it.
Then I see another student is eating some Combos, so I remind her of the policy of not eating at the computers. She tells me that there's "No way" she could drop crumbs on the keyboard. And proceeds to show me by holding her bag of Combos upside-down over the keyboard. Yes... of course crumbs fell. She played it off like they didn't. So I walked over and shook the crumbs out. And she says "See! Most of those are potato chip crumbs! I'm eating Combos." I just look at her and say "Yes... MOST of them." I tell her about another student who was drinking something at another computer and spilled some of her drink, and now that keyboard doesn't work. She says "You should say something then, so people know not to drink at their computer." I just looked at her. Not only are there two big signs that say "ATTENTION. NO Food. NO Drink. NO Exceptions." But I always remind them of the signs. Her friend laughed and said "HELLO! Not only does he say it, but there's a sign right in front of you that says that." Her reply? "Well... I'm hungry. What do you except me to do?" I remind her that she can sit anywhere else, or go outside to the hallway. Her comeback? "Well, I like to eat while I'm doing my work on the computer."
Thursday, January 08, 2004
The Sneaks
Every now and then, I catch a student doing something. Now, if you got caught sneaking out of class once, either be more cautious next time, or don't sneak out again. Or, if you feel the need to sneak out again, at least try to be better at it.
I have this student, I'll call her "Pink Nickel", who once snuck out of my class early so I signed her out early. Yesterday, she saw her sneak out, so I signed her out. About five minutes before class ends, I she her sneaking back in to class. And she said "You signed me in, right?" I tell her "No, you left a few minutes after class started." She said "I was in the bathroom..... I felt sick." I tell her, "If you leave class, and you take your bag and your coat, it's obvious that you're not going to the bathroom."
Every now and then, I catch a student doing something. Now, if you got caught sneaking out of class once, either be more cautious next time, or don't sneak out again. Or, if you feel the need to sneak out again, at least try to be better at it.
I have this student, I'll call her "Pink Nickel", who once snuck out of my class early so I signed her out early. Yesterday, she saw her sneak out, so I signed her out. About five minutes before class ends, I she her sneaking back in to class. And she said "You signed me in, right?" I tell her "No, you left a few minutes after class started." She said "I was in the bathroom..... I felt sick." I tell her, "If you leave class, and you take your bag and your coat, it's obvious that you're not going to the bathroom."
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