Day 4 - Kids Are the Same the World Over

Well, it happened. I knew it would. And, I was having a GREAT day. I only had three periods to teach (one of which was a double period - so it was like having two classes), and the first class did not start until almost noon. And, I had a really good, interactive, hands-on, student-friendly lesson prepared. 

But, it happened. A kid p'd me off! Over the most typical teenage topic of dispute - a cell phone; wait, I'm in the East where they speak British - a mobile. I informed the dean in what I consider a really cool manner. We have these iPads and AppleTVs in each classroom. So, I typed an email in full view of the class (I did not use any student's name). I just stated that a couple students refuse to stop playing with their phones in class, and could he stop by when convenient. Of course, everyone but the culprits witnessed what was going on. The dean (a great guy) was knocking on my door in three minutes!

The dean confiscated the students' phones, and warned them about their behavior (in Arabic - I'll be fluent by the time I get home). Once he left, one kid had a fit. Of course, everything was my fault (this is what I don't like about teenagers). He proceeded to further disrupt the class in that way that kids do when they feel embarrassed - you know they talk loud (thankfully in Arabic so I don't know what he was saying) and make their peers laugh. His behavior (and the other students) did not stop until I started filming them with my iPad, and blasting them on AppleTV. They immediately composed themselves and sat down (I love technology!).  

Because I am too often given to perseveration, I could not stop thinking about the events in the classroom (this happened at the end of my GREAT day). So, I sent the dean a detailed email about the student's behavior. The student apologized. Meaningless. He did not acknowledge the most offensive behavior. Oh well. How refreshingly typical.