"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.