Tck'ssssssssh

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a student sucks their teeth after you say something, intentional, unintentional, disrespectfully, in defiance... whatever.

And it seems like these days, it happens more often. I just want to say "If you don't like it, leave." But.. I must keep my cool.

Deep breath. Hold it... release. Ahhhh. I need a raise, and a month long vacation.

HOLY CRAP!

I don't know how many times I've told "Greasy" not to eat in the computer room. And each and every time, she says "Oops, I forgot." Yesterday, I saw her sneaking chips out of her bag and eating them, using someone else as a shield. But a) I can see her out of the corner of my eye (great teacher skill), and b) HELLOOO!? who can't hear a rustling bag of chips and the eventual crunch? This is after I told her numerous times, and the director pulled her aside and told her. Even after that, she came up to me and asked me "Do you really have a problem with me eating in the computer room?" and me, in no uncertain terms, saying "Yes! Why else would I tell you NOT to eat in there?"

So, next time I catch her eating, I'm not only going to send her to the office, I'm going to have make a big show in class. I'm going to do my best to make her look foolish stupid. I almost HAVE to. No adult, especially a parent, should have to be told, in front of class, a simple rule over thirty times.

PEERS!

I knew there were other teachers/instructors/professors/etc.. out there who, like me, blog about their experiences, and wish to remain anonymous. There was an article in today's New York Daily News, where a few are quoted.

I've added a bunch of links to the sidebar. I haven't read even a tenth of them, but they do look promising/amusing/interesting/etc... just read.

Who's higher on the totem pole?

Some of the students I work with are also taking GED preparation classes. Of course, they're at different levels, with some being closer to taking the test.

The other day, the level 2 students (higher level) had to share a room with the level 1 students. A few of the level 2 students said "Why do they have to be here?" Now, this isn't the first time this has happened. Level 2 students feel like they're better than the level 1 students, and sometimes they really show it.

The students in level 3 already have their high school diplomas or GED, and while they usually don't say anything about the other students, they do act a bit aloof. Many seem to think that they've "reached it", that they don't need anymore education and are somehow "better".

Meanwhile, a few of the level 3 students who are going to college, sometimes talk about their classmates as being "stupid" because they think that there's nothing else to learn.

But it all ends up as people thinking that they're better than others.

"How you gonna play me like that?!"

Today, I thought a student was going to hit me. It would have been a much cooler story.

"Greasey" (from the "Food and Drinks pt 2" post) walked in about 30 minutes late, says "I'll be right back" and leaves class. After 45 minutes or so, I go see if she's in the main office. She's not. So I mark her absent. I finish class, dismiss the students to their next class. I wonder where she is because her coat and bag are still in the seat.

As my next class is walking in, I hear someone say her name. As I turn, I see her dashing out of the room, saying "shhh!" I laugh, because it was something you'd see in high school.

Now it's the end of the day, and I hear "Mr. Teacher! How you gonna play me like that!? I turn to see Greasey almost charging at me. I thought, "This is it. The day a student smacks me." She's going on about me "playin" her when she was in class. She says "I came in, sat down.." I stop her, "No, you came in, said you'd be right back, put your coat down and left. You didn't even sit down." She says "But it was an important phone call!" I tell her "that's ok. You just won't get credit for MY class, which you missed. You came back AFTER the class was over."

She was steamed, but she knew she wouldn't, make that "couldn't", win. It's funny, when you catch supposed adults, who pride themselves on their "adulthood", acting like children, then acting even more childish when trying to get out of it. She left in a huff. Too bad. That's part of being an adult, dealing with the consequences of your actions and decisions.

"That's not a problem, is it?"

The other day, I come back to my lab, and I find the Shrimp (another teacher) in the lab, getting ready for his class. He says "Hey," in a casual manner, yet he's acting slightly nervous. As I sit down at my computer, he says "Oh, I had a problem logging in with the default profile, so I used our teacher's login. That's not a problem, is it?"

The default login has extra security to avoid students damaging the computers, changing the settings, installing programs/spyware, etc.. The teacher's login has more lower security settings, to allow the teachers to demonstrate certain actions/settings/etc.. via the projector. This is done purposely because many times in the past, our computers have gotten to the point where they either no longer worked, or had to be completely wiped and restored, which takes a lot of time and effort.

So when the Shrimp, having complained of damaged computers in the past, asks me if it's a problem that students use the teacher's login, I naturally say "Yes." He then proceeds to tell me, "Oh, well I only did that because I couldn't login in with the default profile." Which is total BS. I replied "That's funny because before I stepped out a few minutes ago, I had them all logged in. Couldn't have been more than twenty minutes ago."

The Shrimp starts to get a panicked look in his eye, and says "Uh... yeah, really? Wow... That IS weird. But it's not a problem is it?" I said "Yes, it is. But if you want to.. ." He quickly answers "Ok, great!" Then I add "Sure, as long as you take full responsibility for whatever happens, then that's your decision. Just remember to log off, and make sure everything is alright at the end of class." Of course he didn't do anything I said, because the next day, all those computers were still logged in with the teacher's login. And, on one computer, someone had installed a bunch of Yahoo's applications (Messenger, Mail, Companion, etc..), AOL Instant Messenger, a few games, as well as a bunch toolbars and other spyware.

The Shrimp ticks me off sometimes. Scratch that, make it "a lot of the time".

PS. Another student told me that she doesn't like the way he teaches. She said when he's not talking loud, he's yelling. And that he looks like a hyperactive chihuahua. It made me feel better about my dislike of him.

"Guys are always hitting on me."

I have a co-worker (let's call her "Shirley") who is always telling me how guys hit on her. On the way home, at the laudromat, on line at the supermarket, in her ob-gyn's reception room... She once told me that some guy was hitting on her in an ER waiting room while she was going into labor!

Now, personally, I don't think she's sexy, hot or sensuous. She's married and has children, and is a bit overweight. Maybe there's something about her that certain guys like. I don't know. But I can't imagine guys throwing themselves at her feet almost everyday. Maybe now and then, but not as often as she says. She just recently told me that some teenager offered to buy her a customized SUV... knowing that she's married... and he's not rich... and he's a distant cousin or something... and her husband was there.

Even if so many guys are throwing themselves at her, why does she need to talk about it so often? I'm not interested in her. It's not like co-workers are always talking about people hitting on them.

Food and drinks, pt. 2

So, I have dealt with "Lola". And she seems to have listened. But I have another student, let's call her "Greasey", who is always, always, ALWAYS, eating in the lab. She sneaks a chip, or a cookie, or something all the time. And the thing is, she makes noise as she reaches into her bag. And everytime, EVERYTIME, I tell her that she can't eat at the computer, she says the same thing, "Oh, sorry, I didn't know." The last time, I told her, "I know you don't know, but you have to stop eating at the computers."

I've even told her that I can hear her, I've walked up behind her and "caught" her. Once, she came in eating fried chicken out of a brown paper bag, that was DRIPPING with grease. She pulls her handoutand it's greasy and covered with chicken bits. So she sucks her fingers "clean" and says "Oh, I'd never make a mess at your computers." Riiiight.

I had to ask, "How can you possibly NOT make a mess while eating that chicken?" She replied, "See? My hands are clean." The proceeded to suck the last of the chicken bits off her fingers.

"Yeah, that's it... I think I'm done."

Not everyone can teach. It's not just about the teaching, it's all the "little things" outside of the job description.

Recently, a teacher here has been saying how she's fed up with teaching, and how she's "not cut out for this". Her students have really been acting up and getting on her nerves. I've told her not to take it to heart, but that's easier said than done. Sometimes the students behave really disrespectful and can be very inconsiderate, but you can't sink down to that level.

Today, one student just got up, in the middle of class, and made a phone call to see if her glasses were ready. Another had a conversation on her cell phone, a LONG conversation, while the teacher was explaining something, THEN complained the teacher was going too fast. You can't win, so why fight? Just realize that sometimes people don't want to learn.

Food and drinks.

In my lab, as in 99.99999997% of computer labs around the world, I don't allow food or drinks at the computers. That's just plain common sense. But so many of my students decide that they are "grown" enough that they can do whatever they want.

They other day, I heard someone pop open a soda can, I turn and see a student (let's call her "Lola") drinking a soda while at her computer. Before I can say anything, she says "Mister, I'm a grown-ass woman. I can eat my food and not make a mess." I replied, "What if your son said 'I'm big enough to eat my dinner in bed and not make a mess.' What would you say?" She quickly said "No, because he WILL drop food." I said "By accident or on purpose?" Lola looked at me, got up and walked to a nearby table that I have just for that reason. I said "I'm not trying to be a tyrant, but accidents happen. I've had more than five keyboards get messed up in the past year because of food and drinks being spilled on them. All accidents. That's why you should be 'grown' enough to eat where 'grown' people are supposed to eat, not wherever your 'grown' self KNOWS you shouldn't eat."

Lola just smiled, and said "I'm still a grown-ass woman." So I ended it with "If the computer gets messed up, will your 'grown-ass' self pay to fix it?" She didn't have to answer, we both knew.

Familiarity.

Sometimes, when you work in a close enviornment and you're a nice person and try to make people feel at ease, those people feel an openess with you. They get familiar with you, sometimes a little TOO familiar.

The other day I was having a conversation with another teacher, when a student walked by and "insinuated" herself into our conversation. She just jumped in, "Oh! No, you can't do that. I think we should...." I was a bit shocked, not because she jumped into our conversation, but because of the way she did it. She was speaking as if she were a co-worker, "WE should". And she was making suggestions that were more like directions from someone in charge.

I kept trying to turn it around to "Well, I think the manager will..." or, "What your teacher will probably do is..." But she kept in with "No, I told her that we should..." And it wasn't in a bossy manner, it was truly as if she felt like she was a co-worker.

I also heard that she was doing the same with other people. I heard she had made herself a copy of the staff phone list. Another co-worker saw her and said "You're not supposed to have that." and she replied "Oh, this is just so I can have it. Don't worry, it's not like I'll be calling you on weekends or something."

TOO familiar.

"I'm just sitting here."

Today I was going over Microsoft Excel. And as I'm walking around to help a student, another student (let's call her "Beeker") is sitting in front of her computer with no programs open, just the desktop. So I ask, "You okay?" She says "Yeah, I'm just sitting here." and she continues to stare blankly into the infinite void of the wallpaper. (excuse the creative poetry) Or, at least that's how it looked. I said "Ok." and continued on. I already know what's up.

When I went back to the board, she's busy at her keyboard again. Then, as I walk over to help another student, Beeker turns her screen so I can't see what she's doing.

She was looking at some "profile" websites, and e-mailing some of them.

After class, I walk over to her, and say "I need you to pay attention in class, not try to meet someone online, you're here to learn." She says "I know, I was just sitting there. I'm tired. Besides, I already know all this."

And just the week before, she asked me to help her make a spreadsheet for her portfolio. And I know, she'll ask again in a few days. Better yet, she'll probably say I didn't help her. I can't wait.

"Ooh! Let me help!"

What's worse than a student who doesn't pay attention? One that pays too much attention.

I was about to start a lesson, when one student told me that she wanted to help me. She'd work the computer (hooked up to a projector) while I explained at the board. As I explained, I had to help her focus on what I was doing, instead of going ahead of the lesson. At one point, I asked her to list some names, she listed a few names of her classmates. When I asked to list a certain pay rate, she listed a different amount. I asked her to change it, she didn't. I asked again, maybe she didn't hear me. She looks up and says "I can't, that's my friend."

I said, "Ok, but we're doing a lesson. we need to have the same numbers." She replied, ""But that's not fair, she has three kids! I'm NOT going to underpay her. She needs that money."

I was amazed (once again)

I had to ACTUALLY say "It's not real money." Which did almsot nothing, because she replied "I'm not going to do that to her. She's a mother, and she needs it. Why should she have to suffer?" LIKE IT WAS REAL MONEY!!!