by Angela Sanford
In light of this week being education week here a few classroom anecdotes from the past 29 years:
Don’t Get Distracted in the Sewing Lab
Students were seated about the room at their assigned sewing machines, each at various stages of creating pajamas and pillows, when a guest adult entered the room, as they commonly did. The adult often dropped in to observe the students’ progress and provide accolades for their industriousness. Usually, his visit was short but on this day he offered to assist an international student, with a minor language barrier, in the use of the sewing machine.
Travelling around the room, conferring with students to support where needed, I a muffled and exasperated collective groan from the students. I turned on my heels to investigate the reason for this signal and the image I saw will forever be burnt into my retinas. Only one lucky member of the room was innocent of the horror in witnessing this misfortune. There, resting over the corner of the table facing the entire room except , was a navy blue whale tail – yes, a navy blue thong rising above two well rounded, rosy, red cheeks above his dropping pants.
Reading Choices
A young student was new to our classroom and was struggling to make friends in their first couple of weeks. One afternoon, as the class was preparing for dismissal, an unusually large crowd was seen surrounding the student, as matter of fact the entire male contingent of the grade six room was occupied. Immediately, while approaching the gathering, I listened intently to determine the temperament of the situation, hoping it was positive and that the student was not being targeted in some way.
The discovery was eye opening – the circle of peers was very intrigued by what our newcomer held firmly in hand – a copy of the well-known book, “The Joy of Sex.” The book was confiscated and was followed by an awkward phone call to the student’s father, who agreed to collect the text at Parent Teacher the following week. However, to this date I have yet to meet with the parent and as for the text – for all I know it may still be sitting on shelf in the office awaiting collection.
Scientific Study
I have never understood the practice of carrying out professional learning (PL) on November 1st, the day following Halloween. It is well known, or at least held as truth by any classroom teacher, that snowstorms and full moons heighten the energy in any middle school. Still, sugar and hijinks from Halloween seem to triple that effect and the impact is something no guest teacher should ever be subjected to. I was just settling in for PL at Central Office, in Berwick, when an admin assistant entered the room and requested I take a phone call from my school administration. I was baffled because of the timing alone, as school had barely begun for the day. The principal had simply called to give me a heads up of the events that had just occurred at the school before I learned of them another way – though long before the days of social media news like this still travelled fast.
Two students had taken it upon themselves to complete some scientific research, during morning announcements. Their area of study - the time required to melt a rubber eraser in a microwave. Apparently, the observations would indicate that it takes very little time, and the entire middle wing of the school will be evacuated, the fire department will convene on the space, and the heavy smoke will condemn the room for the day.
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