Wierdness = "of a strikingly odd or unusual character, strange" (Free Online Dictionary)
So there I was, in a 2nd grade class, taking attendance and about to start the homework check, when I noticed that one of the two young girls sitting at their desks in front of my teacher's table had something in her mouth, a pen cap or something.
"Helen," I said, looking at her and motioning with my hand, "Please take that out of your mouth. It's dangerous."
Probably she didn't know the word "dangerous", but she knew what I was talking about, for she spit out the pen cap into her hand.
Helen is nice, I like her, but she is a bit strange, in part because she is one of those students I get every so often who make noises instead of speaking. She likes to entertain herself and her partner by making sounds, and it can be entertaining for a short time, but it is worrisome from a teacher's perspective because her English skills will fall behind if she keeps it up.
When I looked at her next, however, that was the least of my worries.
Perhaps because of some push-back, or perhaps for additional entertainment--but probably a mix of the two--she moved to the next level: her pencil case.
She pulled a pen out of the case and proceeded to lick it.
Then on to the next pen or pencil. And so on through the entire contents of the pencil case.
I was mute, rendered speechless, for I have never, ever had a student do such a thing, disgustingly dirty yet also funny in a strange sort of way, largely because she seemed to be enjoying the behavior and the attention that it might attract.
"Helen," I asked, pointing at the floor, "Do you lick that?"
She shook her head "No."
"No," I said, "it's dirty. Your pen is dirty. Your pencils are dirty. Don't do that . . ."
I think she got the message.
And some people think that all I do is teach English.
I like variety in my classes, but that kind I can do without.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
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